Don't Hurt Me
by ForeverSmiles
Summary: Sarah Hope grew up in the same bad neighborhood as Steven Hyde, and struggled with the same family problems. They've been best friends their whole lives, it was only a matter of time before they got together. Hyde/OC
1. Memories

**-So there is this boy and the way he laughs makes me smile && when he talks, he gives me butterflies && just everything about him makes me HAPPY.-**

**Age 5**

_I was slumped against the window in the backseat of my parents' SUV, the side of my head pressed against the cold glass, my eyes shut. I was pretending to sleep, so that maybe I could block out my parents' screaming and arguing._

_"SARAH!" My dad screamed, and my eyes flew open. "Go get your shit out of the trunk, and bring it in the fucking house!" I scrambled out of the car, and grabbed a cardboard box labeled "SARAH" and took off at a dead run towards the house. I ran up a flight of stairs, and dropped the box onto a bed in a small/medium-sized room. I glanced down at the driveway from the open window in my room, at my bickering parents when something-or someone-caught my eye._

_Across the street, and a few houses over, there was a boy around my age, standing in the front yard by the mailbox, just staring at me. He had curly hair, and was wearing sunglasses, shielding his eyes. I smiled and waved, and he waved back, but I was too far away to tell if he smiled._

_"SARAH!" My dad screamed up the stairs, and my mouth formed an O in surprise. I gave a hasty goodbye wave to the boy before turning and running down the stairs._

**Age 8**

_I was in the Forman basement with Eric, Kelso, and Hyde. Eric and I were on the couch, and Hyde and Kelso were on chairs on opposite sides of us. We were staring at the TV screen, some cartoon blaring, but none of us really watching it._

_The awkwardness practically floated around the room. I had just let my friends now about my dad abusing me (well, Hyde already kinda knew.__..a little...). He had drunk so much more and hit me all the time ever since my mom left us two months ago. I told them about that, too. And I was silently begging someone to say something. Anything._

_It was Kelso who came to my rescue. "Hey, Sarah, ya' know what will make you feel better? That thing that Hyde showed me and Eric last week! What did you call it? Weed?"_

_"SHH!" Hyde hissed, while Eric looked delighted and yelled, "Yeah! Good idea, Kelso!" while I just looked confused and asked, "Hyde, what is he talking about?"_

_We got in the circle, and Hyde lit the weed. The smoke floated around the room, instead of the awkwardness. The awkwardness was gone. I felt like I could jump up and float around with the smoke, like a cloud. My mind was empty, absolutely empty and all __I cared about was being here with Kelso, Hyde, and Eric. All I cared about was laughing with them, where nothing mattered. That was how I felt...like nothing else but this moment mattered. Everything anyone said was hilarious, but made no sense at the same time._

_"Man, Kelso, you were right, this DOES make me feel better!" I said, giggling, and clutching my sides. They hurt from laughing so hard._

**Age 15**

_I slipped out of my street clothes and into my pink-and-yellow-striped bikini. I packed sunglasses, sun tan lotion, flip-flops, and a towel into my bag, and slung it over my shoulder. I tiptoed down the stairs, and peeked around the corner to find my dad passed out on the couch, a beer tipped over next to him, emptying into the carpet._

_I snuck out the front door and ran across the street, and took a sharp left to Hyde's house. I knocked on his front door, and there was a little yelling, but eventually it __was answered by Hyde. He was in swimsuit trunks, a white T-shirt, and-of course-his sunglasses._

_"Hey, Sarah. You ready to go?"_

_"Yep." He shut the door, and we took off running down the street. Neither of us liked our neighborhood very much, and we wanted to get to the Forman's as fast as possible._

_We burst through the Forman's back door five minutes later, gasping for breath, and whining because we forgot to put shoes on, and we stepped on a lot of rocks._

_"Dumbasses__…" Red muttered, and I giggled when Kitty glared at him. I had always loved the Forman house, which explained why I spent so much time here._

_"Eric and Donna are in the basement, they were waiting for you two." Kitty said, then called__ down the stairs, "ERIC! DONNA! They're here! Get your stuff, we're leaving!"_

_"What about Kelso?" I asked._

_"We're meeting him there," Kitty said, just as Donna and Eric appeared. Eric was in swimming trunks and a T-shirt, too, and Donna had a bikini on also._

_"Let's go!" Eric yelled, and we all ran to the car._

_We were going to Kelso's new girlfriend, Jackie's house. She invited Kelso over to swim in their pool, and he said he wouldn't__ go without us, so here we are._

_"Man, this is gonna be so much fun!" Eric said, and I nodded._

_"Except for the Jackie part." Hyde grumbled._

_"She's not that bad," I said, and meant it. I sorta liked her...sorta._

_"You take that back!" Hyde yelled, and we all laughed._

_When we got there, we all scrambled out of the car, to find Kelso already there._

_"Bad news, guys. Jackie's parents didn't fill up the pool yet," Kelso said, and we all groaned._

_"No, no, you guys, this can still be fun!" Jackie cried. "I promise!"_

_"Oh yeah? How?" I asked, frowning._

_"We can spray each other with the hose and stuff! And plus, my parents are having a barbecue!"_

_"A barbecue, huh?" Red asked, and he led Kitty inside the large house._

_"Yeah, you guys, just give it a chance!" Kelso begged, and we all sighed, and Donna and I put our bags down. One by one, we climbed into the pool, that was about an inch deep, with the hose sticking in on the side, filling up the pool. We waded around for a few minutes until Eric sighed and said,_

_"What now?"_

_"I know! I'll do a Slip 'N Slide!" Kelso yelled._

_"A WHAT?" Donna and I asked, amused._

_"Just watch." Kelso stood at the edge of the pool, and was soon sliding across the bottom. He hit his head at the other end, and we all erupted in laughter._

_"Shut up, why don't you guys do it?" Kelso yelled, picking himself up from the ground._

_"Fine, I'll go." Eric said, and neatly slid across the bottom._

_"Now, Hyde, you go!" Kelso and Eric yelled, and Hyde stood at the edge of the pool, ready to slide, but then hesitated._

_"Just go!" Donna yelled._

_"PUSSY!" I yelled, and Hyde froze._

_"Who said that?" he asked, and I waved my arm in the air, screaming, "MEEE!"_

_Hyde ran over to the hose, and ran towards me with it. "NO, HYDE, DON'T!" I shrieked, but then covered my face, to block the water being sprayed at me. I was drenched in a matter of seconds._

_"Hyde, you asshole!" I yelled, but he just smirked, and put the hose back, slung over the side of the pool._

_"Man, nice job on calling Hyde a pussy. That was priceless," Donna said, and held out her fist. We touched knuckles and I grinned as Hyde slid across the bottom of the pool._


	2. Family

**-Love: when you start a test in school and realize you can't concentrate because of him.-**

Those are 3 of my fondest memories. I'm not really sure why. All I know is that they all inluded my friends. _Not _my family. Hell, my friends _were _my family. They were more important to me than my _real _family.

First of all, there's Jackie. She might be younger than me and a little annoying (A LOT annoying to the others, but she was like my older sister, the one that helps you with your make-up and gives you advice on boys.

Then, there's Donna, the more reasonable older sister, yet she's the only one who really gets me, and I'm the only one who really gets her.

There's Eric, the responsible older brother who looks down on my crazy antics and schemes, but ends up going along, anyways. He's the one I can count on to get me out of trouble.

There's Kelso, who is like my second oldest brother, the dumb one who gets in tons of trouble, but he's also super funny, and entertains me to no end.

Last but not least, there's Hyde, who's like my oldest brother. The one that always watches out for me, is always there for me, and seems to get me.

Fez, well, he's my friend, but I don't really consider him family…ya' know?

And I guess there's just something about me that makes me everybody's little sister.


	3. Injured

**-i'd even wait for you in the rain-**

"Sarah? Sarah? Oh My God, Sarah!" I cracked an eyelid to see many pairs of feet running up to me. I felt a pair of hands hoist me into their lap, and I whimpered from the pain. Everything hurt. My head throbbed, and my face felt puffy and gross. My ribs screamed with pain, andI clutched my shattered right wrist to my chest. My right ankly throbbed from where it was twisted, and my left leg felt sticky from where it was sliced open with a razor.

"Sarah.. say something, please." It was Hyde's voicem and it was close. Was I in _his _lap? I peeked through my eyelashes. Yepp. Good..

"Hyde.." I whimpered, and buried my face in his shirt. "My dad went toofar this time.."

"Eric, go get your mom," Donna said, and she sounded choked up. Then, I heard footsteps running away.

"I'll go with you, Eric!" Kelso yelled and I heard two more sets of footsteps. Who else had left? Fez, probably.

Footsteps approached me, and I felt knees brush my side.

"Sarah.." It was Donna. "You're gonnabe alright, okay? Eric and.. and Kelso and Fez went to go get Mrs. Forman-she's a nurse." She was crying.

"Donna and Steven and I, we're here." It was Jackie now.


	4. Thinking Back

**-for once in my life, i don't have to try to BE HAPPY; when i'm with you, it just happens.-**

I ended up lying in a hospital bed, all drugged up to numb the pain, and slipping in and out of consciousness. A lot of people slip into a heavy sleep while others float in a sea of drugs and no emotions.

I, on the other hand, floated in a sea of memories.

_Like my first day of kindergarten, when I walked in alone, my dad being at work, screwing his assistant and my mom drowing all her worries at the bar. I felt like such an outsider here, andI was only 5 years old. It was almost as bad as being at home: I was unwanted, alone, and always scared. The only upside was that there wasn't any deafening screaming or mindnumbing fists beating down on me.___

_I sat alone near a corner and watched all the other kids un around and play while I stared up at the clock, begging the time to fly by.___

_I was scanning the room when someone acros the room caught my eye. It was the curly-haired kid on the other side of the street by the mailbox that I had seen a few days ago. He was leaning against the wall across the room, staring at the floor, his eyes still hidden behind the pair of sunglasses on his nose. I got up and crossed the room, and sat down next to him. He stared at me._

_"My name is Sarah. What's yours?"_

_"Steven Hyde. But call me Hyde."_

_"OK. You live on my street, right?" He nodded._

_"I think."_

_"Cool."_

_"Yeah."_

_I looked around the room, trying to think of something to say. Finally I asked, "Do you like it here?"_

_"No," he replied._

_"Me either."_

_Yet another memory:_

_When we were 9 (and Jackie was 8), Eric's mom took Eric, Kelso, Hyde, Donna, Jackie, and I (basically the whole gang) to Fatso Burger on the weekend._

_Donna and Jackie got salads and Cokes, while the guys and I ordered burgers and shakes. Donna and Jackie picked at their salads, while I bit into my burger, the juice running down my chin. Donna pointed and laughed at me, but Jackie wrinkled her nose in disgust. Mrs. Forman just stared but all the guys grinned goofily at me._

_"Sarah, you're so cool!" Eric yelled._

_"Yeah, Sarah, you're like one of the guys!" Kelso added, smiling. I blushed and Hyde smirked and rolled his eyes._

_"You guys are totally gross," Jackie said._

_"Ya' see? That's why we all like Sarah better than you!" Kelso cried, and I stifled a laugh._

_"Michael!" Jackie shrieked and Donna, Eric, Hyde, and I practically screamed with laughter while Jackie screamed at Kelso._

_But for the rest of the night, the only thing I could think about was how Kelso said that I was like one of the guys. I fit in with the girls _and _the guys? I had never really belonged anywhere before I met my friends, and now I fit in with everyone? What the hell? When did thst happen?_

_Another one:_

_I had just turned 12, it was 3 months after my birthday (September 12th, to be exact). It was December 18th. I was on the verge of sleep when my bedroom door creaked open and my drunken dad walked in. He sat down on the edge of my bed and gently stroked my hair. I stiffened._

_"I love you, Sarah," he whispered and rolled me over to face him. My dad leaned down and kissed me on the lips. I expected him to lean back, but he let the kiss linger longer than any kiss from father to daughter should._

_When he grabbed the back of my head and smashed my lips to his was when I really got scared. I struggled and tried to scream, but he was a lot stronger than me, so I was practically pinned to the bed._

_I'll spare you the details and just say that my father raped me for the first time that night. After he wa finished, he gently put my shirt back on and pulled my pants back up. "I love you.." he murmured again before leaving, but it was a lie. If he really loved me, he wouldn't beat me every day. If he really loved me, he wouldn't have left my room because he was done raping me._

_When I heard him plop down on the bed and snores erupted from his room, I crept out the window to the park behind my house. I trudged through the snow, wrapping my winter coat tighter around my body, shivering in the cold._

_I curled up in the slide and let my frozen tears slip down my cheeks. I burrowed my face into the puffy sleeve of my heavy, brown coat and sobbed until I was empty._

_"Sarah? Are you OK?" I looked up and saw Hyde standing in front of me, bracing hiimself against the snow and ice._

_"Hey.. hey, man, are you crying?"_

_"No!" I moaned and buried my face in my coat sleeve again. I felt him sit down next to me on the slide, and put his hand on my leg._

_"Sarah, what's wrong?" Hyde whispered._

_"M-my dad!" I cried, looking up and wiping my eyes_.

_"What did he do? You.. you don't look hurt.." I didn't answer. I let him figure it out. "Sarah.. he didn't.."_

_"Don't tell anyone," I begged. "especially not Jackie."_

_Hyde tried to ease the tension: "Pssh. Why would I tell Jackie anything, other than something that will get Kelso in trouble? I mean, come on, Sarah. I would think you would know me better than that." I smiled._

_"Yeah. That's true." We were silent for a while._

_"Hey, Sarah, you mind letting me get in there, too?" Hyde finally asked, and I shook my head, and scooted over. He climbed in next to me, and we huddled together, staring out at the whirlwind of snow._


	5. In the Hospital

**-Can I be the reason for the **_**smile**_** on your face?-**

I drowsily opened my eyes and saw the blurry image of white ceiling tiles floated in front of my vision. I moaned, and rubbed my eyes.

"Sarah! Sarah, are you awake?" I frowned and opened my eyes, looking to the left of me. The whole gang was there - Donna, Jackie, Eric, Kelso, Hyde, and Fez - everyone. Even Kitty was in there.

"Well, good morning, sleepy head! I wa starting to wonder when you would be awake!" Kitty cried, smiling at me. I frowned and sat up.

"How long have I been out?"

"A few days at least. But-"

"A few _days? _Oh man. What about school?"

"Don't worry about it, honey. I'll just let you talk to your friends, they've been waiting for days to talk to you," Kitty said, andbustled out of the room.

"Um.. hey, guys." I said, giving my friends a weak smile and a wave.

"Sarah, are you OK?" Donna cried, running up to me.

"As OK asI'll ever be. The medicine and drugs have been helping a lot. I feel OK now."

"Well, that's great!" Jackie yelled, running up and giving me a hug.

"Yeah,"I said and gave Donna a hug, too.

They were all really friendly, and joked around with me, and Kelso even burned me a few times. They even went and bought me cheeseburgers and brought board games. It was a lot of fun.

But then Kelso had to drive Jackie home, and Red wanted Eric home, and Fez bailed, too. So it was just Donna and Hyde and me. And I knew what was coming.

"Sarah, what really happened in the field?" Hyde asked. I hesitated, but I knew that if I could tell anyone about what happened, it was these two.

I took a deep breath. "Okay. Here's what happened:

_My dad took me out to the field that night.I wasn't sure what was going on, but then he led me out there and there were a bunch of his friends there and they were drinking. And then he started drinking. At first, I couldn't figure out why he wanted me to come, but then.. but then one of them started doing.. _bad _things to me, and then _all of them _started doing the bad stuff to me, and when I refused, they all started to beat me up, even my dad. And - and there was so much blood, I thought I was going to die. And then they all left, and I was alone and cold.. "___

Donna ran up to me and hugged me tight, and that's when I realized I was crying.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you, Sarah!" Donna cried, and she was crying, too.

"Me, too." Donna looked back.

"Hyde, what are you doing, get over here!" she yelled, and grabbed his wrist, and dragged him over by us. I reached over and pulled him into a hug, too, along with Donna, and I let my tears slip down my cheeks, because it didn't really matter because I was with my two closest friends.


	6. Streaking

**_Streaking_**

**-Don't tell me you love me unless you can prove it.-******

I was in the basement with Jackie, and we were watching TV. It was pretty awkward, seeing that Jackie just found out from Kelso about my home life. Damn you Kelso..

It was overly-awkward because the entire gang knew that I had moved out of the hospital and in with my dad again last weekend.

"Look, Jackie-" I started, and she turned to stare at me. "Umm.. why did your dad organize to have President Ford to come to Point Place?"

"Because we are a whistle-stop along his Wisconsin campaign trail. You know, have President Ford stop at a cute little town."

"Aah. Very cool. So are you going to the rally?"

"Of course I am! My dad organized it, why wouldn't I? I want to support Daddy. Are you going?"

"Oh yeah! I wouldn't miss it, especially when the guys are gonna stuuh-rreee.. umm.. nothing."

"No, what? What are the guys going to do?" Jackie turned the volume down on the TV, and turned to face me with interested eyes.

"Um…scream with frustration because they can't figure out a way to ruin the rally. You know, they've been racking (sp?) their brains for like, a day trying to figure out how to act out against President Ford, but.. I guess nothing would come to them!" I lied, nervously.

Jackie let out a sigh of relief. "Well, that's good! I wouldn't want Michael to get in trouble with my dad, well, because this is very important for Daddy, I wouldn't want anyone-let alone my boyfriend and his stupid friends-to ruin it for him!"

"Umm…yeah. We wouldn't want that." I nervously turned back to the TV, and Jackie did the same, and I turned the volume back up.

***

I showed up at the rally with Jackie, frankly, because I didn't have another ride. We were sitting on this bench outside the room, and this guy was flirting with us. I saw the guys show up with trench coats, mostly because Kelso almost started a fight with the guy who was flirting with Jackie.

"Oh my Gosh, I can't believe Michael just did that!" Jackie moaned, and I patted her shoulder.

"Um…yeah. I'll see you later, kaay Jackie?"

"Okay, Sarah. Meet me up later so we can hear President Ford's speech!"

"Kaay, I'll be there." Jackie would only ask me that without a doubt because she knew that I was the only one in the gang besides Kelso that truly liked her as a friend. Even Donna got irritated by her more than she would like.

I got up and went to stand by the guys. "Hey, are you guys gonna streak?"

"No," Kelso said. "we all decided against it.. you know…us…naked…dogs." I burst into laughter, and Eric and Kelso rolled their eyes and went to find Jackie and Donna, and Fez disappeared, so it was only me and Hyde.

"Nice, Sarah. You scared them away," he joked and I giggled and punched him lightly on the arm.

"Shut up. And it's too bad you guys were too chicken to streak."

"Hey, it wasn't because we were_ chicken-_wait a minute. Why? Were you looking forward to something?"

I blushed and smiled. "Maybe..." Hyde stared at me and I rolled my eyes.

"Anyways, later. I have to go meet up with Jackie. She wanted me to listen to President Ford's speech with her." Hyde groaned.

"Shut up! She's not _that _bad."

"I just don't get why you hang out with her, even when you don't have to."

"_Because _she's really nice once you get to know her. You know, once you get past all the annoying talks-a-lot part."

Hyde laughed. "Yeah, okay. See you later."

"Later." I maneuvered my way through the crowd to go stand by Jackie.

"Hey, Jackie."

"Sarah, hi! I think President Ford is about to come out onto the stage!" Jackie explained, and sure enough, seconds later President Ford walked-and fell many times-onstage. Jackie and I stood in silence while Ford gave a speech, and then Mr. Burkhart called Red Forman onto the stage to ask a question, and the gang and I-wherever they might be-clapped and cheered a little louder than everyone else.

One problem: Red was a little nervous. He was stuttering and sweating a little.

"This is horrible!" Jackie whispered to me. "Mr. Red's going to make a fool out of my daddy's committee!" I tried not to roll my eyes. Typical Jackie comment.

"WEE-WEE! PEE-PEE! WEE-WEE! PEE-PEE!" Jackie and I jumped at the outburst, and turned to see a scrawny boy wearing nothing but his shoes and socks, with a Richard Nixon mask on. Then he screamed and ran through the crowd and out the door.

Jackie gasped with horror, but I cracked up. Good for Eric. With the scrawny body, and the way he ran out of the room, there was no doubt in my mind that it was Forman.

***

It was later that day and I walked into the basement and saw that Hyde was the only one there. He was sitting in his chair, watching TV.

"Hey, Hyde. Why are you still in your trench coat?" He shrugged.

"I dunno."

"So.. you're naked under that coat?" I asked, smirking, walking over to him.

"Yeah.. wh-iii!" Hyde yelped when I jumped, roughly into his lap, with just a thin coat protecting his nads.

We rolled off the couch, and started to wrestle on the ground.

"Ow, Sarah, get offa me!"

"Hyde, let go of me leg-_ow!_" We stopped wrestling when he pinned me to the ground, and was on top of me. I blushed.

"Hey, what's going on?" Hyde jumped off of me and I scrambled to my feet as Eric came running down the stairs.

"Oh, hi, Eric."

"What's up, Forman?"


	7. The Keg

**_The Keg_**

**-Cause he makes me LAUGH more than anyone else.-**

"That was quite a party," I said, and Hyde nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, until Red and the cops showed up."

"Even then." Hyde and I were walking home from the most wicked kegger ever.

"Yeah, I guess. Didn't really get too much out of it, since we didn't have a tap most of the time," Hyde pointed out.

"Mmm-hmm." It was cold and we both had our jackets wrapped tight around ourselves and even though it was a pretty wide sidewalk, and we walked really close to each other.

We were getting pretty close to our neighborhood, and I shivered.

"Are you cold?"

"Not really. Mostly scared."

"Of what?"

"My dad. You know, sometimes I wish I could just live in the basement."

"Yeah," Hyde murmured and a few seconds later I felt someone brush my hand, and I realized it was his hand. Our fingers intertwined and I could feel my breath being sucked away.

I blushed and smiled at him, and he gave me a small smile back.

"You know, if you're scared, we could just go to the park," Hyde suggested, and I shrugged.

"I dunno. I mean, if my dad's awake, then I don't want to keep him waiting."

"Right." We walked in silence until we were in front of my house.

"Thanks for walking me home, I know we live in the same neighborhood and all, but still." He laughed, and I laughed, too.

"Any time." We stood there for a few seconds until I (as much as it pained me) withdrew my hand.

"Um, I'll see you tomorrow." Hyde nodded.

"Yeah." I turned and walked up to my porch. As I put my hand on the doorknob, I looked back to see if he was still there. He was.

"Goodnight."

"'Night." I quietly opened the door and slipped inside.


	8. That Disco Episode

**_That Disco Episode_**

**-Love isn't finding someone you can live with; it's finding someone you can't live without.-**

"Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, _Sarah!_" Jackie's high-pitched voice pierced my eardrums, and I turned to face her as she shrieked my name 9 times.

Jackie came bouncing up to me at the lunch table. Ironically, she was the first of my friends to join me at lunch.

"What did Kelso do now?"

"What? Oh, nothing bad! He's taking me and everyone else to that new disco that's opening in Kenosha! Won't that be fun? Ooh, I _love _dancing, don't you?" Jackie squealed and started dancing on the spot.

"Um, sure. Uh, please, Jackie, sit down." Jackie sat down across from me.

"So, Sarah, are you gonna go?" Jackie asked, excitedly.

"I don't know, I mea, Hyde hates disco-I uh, I mean, um, dancing isn't really my scene." Jackie gasped and squealed excitedly.

"Oh My Gosh! You like Hyde! And it's not even that gross because you're both dirty and poor!" I glared at her, but she didn't notice. "It's actually kind of cute! Oh My Gosh, Oh My _Gosh, _I just _have _to set you up together!"

"No, no, no, Jackie, please _don't _get involved!"

"Okay, okay, fine, I won't get involved."

"Promise me!"

"Sarah-"

"Promise me!"

Jackie groaned. "Fine. I promise."

"Good," I said just as the rest of our friends joined us at lunch.

"So, Steven, everyone's going to the disco in Kenosha this weekend, and Sarah and Donna told me they were thinking about going," Jackie chirped, and I glared at her while Donna and Hyde both stared at me: Donna confused and Hyde interested. I waved away Donna, and met eyes with Hyde.

"You're going?" he asked, and I shrugged.

"I dunno. Maybe. Are you?" He gave the same answer I did:

"I dunno. Maybe." Jackie beamed at me, but I just rolled my eyes.

"Um, Sarah, Donna, come to the bathroom with me," Jackie said, and when I ignored her, she grabbed my wrist and dragged me to the bathroom with her and Donna.

"Jackie, what were you talking about at lunch?" Donna asked. "Sarah and I never said anything about the disco."

"I know, I know, Donna, but I was trying to get Steven top go by telling him that Sarah was going."

"Now why would he do that? Hyde doesn't care if I go any more than he doesn't care if Forman goes," I said and Donna scoffed.

"Oh, please, Sarah! It's totally obvious that Hyde likes you!" Donna cried and my jaw dropped.

"Wha-? No...he doesn't..." I remembered the night when we were walking home from the keg party and we held hands. He made the first move though, right? Yeah, I think he did! "Oh My God...he does! I think Hyde likes me!"

"Wait a second, Sarah, do you like Hyde?" Donna asked. I paused before answering. Did I like Hyde? Once I officially liked him, things would get so much more complicated between us. Was I really willing to take that chance? But if I didn't like Hyde how else would I explain these feelings? I closed my eyes and pictured Hyde and I making out, and it put a smile on my face. I looked over at Donna and said,

"Yeah."

Our whole gang piled into the Vista Cruiser to head to the disco. Eric and Donna were up front, while Kelso, Fez, Hyde, Jackie, and I had to cram into the back. There wasn't enough room, so Fez sat in the middle and Kelso and Hyde on the ends, and Jackie and I sat on Kelso and Hyde's laps: Jackie on Kelso's lap, and me on Hyde's.

We had to share a seatbelt so my back was pressed against his chest and my head was on his shoulder. Donna and Jackie kept looking at me and smirking, but I just glowered at them and rolled my eyes.

"Why do Donna and Jackie keep looking at us?" Hyde whispered in my ear, and butterflies flapped around in my stomach.

"They think I like you."

"Oh yeah? Why would they think that?"

"Because I sort of told them that I did."

"And why would you do that?"

"Because I sort of do."

"Sort of?"

"Hey. Don't push it."

When we got out of the car, Jackie smirked at me.

"Ooh, you're wearing a skirt!" I rolled my eyes.

I was wearing a spaghetti-strap white shirt and a brown frayed skirt.

"Ugh, I know!" I moaned, adjusting my skirt. "I hate it!"

We all went inside, and sat down at a table, except for Jackie and Kelso, who went to go dance. Jackie came back a few minutes later, looking flustered.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

"It's Michael! Look at him dancing" she moaned, and we all turned to look.

"Oh My God!" I cried, laughing. "_That's _Kelso? I guess 'Pretty Boy' can't be great at everything!" Everyone else laughed, too.

Kelso came back seconds later, looking for Jackie.

"I had to tell everyone you were having a seizure!" Jackie moaned, and I giggled.

"Come on, you guys. It's not about how good or bad you are at dancing, it's about having a good time. Come on, Kelso, I'll go dance with you," I said and held out my hand. Kelso took it and we went out on the dance floor.

Kelso started dancing like a freak, and I laughed and danced like a freak with him. Suddenly Kelso stopped dancing and looked behind him, I looked, too.

"Is that Jackie and Fez? Dancing?" Kelso yelled, and my jaw dropped.

"Fez is amazing!" I yelled, and Kelso glared at me, and dragged me back to the table.

"Did you guys see Fez and Jackie?" I cried, and they all nodded. I looked over at them when they came back when the song ended. Then 'Fernando' (Idk what the song is really called) came on, and they ran back out on the dance floor.

"Fez, you're crazy!" Jackie cried and I looked after them in jealousy.

"Damn, they look like they're having fun," I murmured and Donna nodded.

"Do you want to dance?" Hyde asked, and I looked up an saw that he was looking at me.

"Sure!" Hyde put his sunglasses on the table, and we both went out on the dance floor. We started dancing, and he was really good!

"Damn, Hyde!" I cried. "When did you learn to dance?" Hyde shrugged.

"Maybe I've always known how to." I giggled.

"Be serious, Hyde."

"Be quiet. So, how about you? When did you learn to dance?"

"Actually, Jackie taught me in the 6th grade. Laugh at me all you want, but we were all going to that dance, and it wasn't like I could ask Donna for help. No offense to her. If only Fez was around to teach me." Hyde laughed, and I did, too. We were quiet for a while until Hyde said,

"You know, Sarah, you're not as easy to talk to as you used to be."

"I could say the same thing about you."

Before I knew what I was doing, I leaned forward and kissed him. We stopped dancing for a second, but stayed in the dance position until the kiss was over.

"Um, sorry, I've just really wanted to do that for a long time." I said blushing and tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"Don't be sorry."

"Hey, should we go sit back down?" We weren't even in the dance position anymore, we were just standing awkwardly on the dance floor.

"Oh. Yeah." We went to go sit back down.

"...and then I said that I just wanted to be displayed like a _flower _just like Fez said! Then, Micheal said that I _was _his flower and we kissed! Wasn't that just so romantic?" Jackie gushed. I was on the phone with her later that same night.

"Uh-huh," I said, lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling, because that was more exciting than listening to Jackie.

"Oh yeah! I forgot to ask, what happened with Hyde? Donna said he asked you to dance."

"Yeah, he did."

"And-?"

"Goodnight, Jackie."

"Nooo! You can't just leave me hanging!" she moaned, and I laughed, and hung up.


	9. Career Day

**_Career Day_**

**-no one loves you like i do-**

Everyone has to go through it once in their lives. All juniors and seniors have to go through the horror of: career day.

Eric was going with Kitty to the hospital, Donna was going to 'Bargain Bob's store, Kelso was going to his dad's store, and Hyde and Fez were going to interview "Gross Edna" Hyde. Since I _really _didn't want to interview my _dad _about _his _job, so I asked Hyde if I could come with him and Fez.

"Yeah, sure, no problem. I don't care."

Although going with Hyde and Fez was better than going to see my dad, it still sucked. Hyde and Edna got into this massive fight, and Hyde walked out. I hopped off the counter, and went after him when I heard Edna cough and mutter, "Skank." I glared at the wall ahead of me, but kept walking. Edna had never liked me, and I had never liked her.

I followed Hyde all the way across town, and to the park behind my house. That seems to be where both of us go when we're upset.

"Hyde! Hyde, wait!" I yelled after him, picking up my pace to a jog.

"Go home, Sarah," he muttered when I caught up to him.

"Well, this place is sort of like my backyard, so..." I said, grinning.

"Fine, then I'll leave."

"No, Hyde, come on! Don't be mad at me." He sighed.

"I'm not mad at _you..._"

"You're mad at your mom, I know. Believe it or not, I get what that feels like. Sometimes…I wonder what she's doing right now. You know? Like, if she misses me or even remembers me. Or even cares about me."

"Sometimes I think about Bud, but mostly it's just to think about that I'm glad he's gone. There's really nothing about him that I miss. I'm just so sick of Edna always telling me about how I ruined her life." I nodded and sat down on the ground, and Hyde sat down next to me.

"Yeah."

"Your dad's a bastard, you know that?" Hyde said, and I nodded.

"I know. I hate him…so much…but sometimes I wonder how he got so screwed up, and if that will happen to me.."

"That's not going to happen to you, Sarah. You're a good person," I just shrugged, and looked at the ground.

Hyde took my face in his hands, and pointed my face towards his. He kissed me and kissed me and kissed me again until we were making out. I took his sunglasses off and threw them somewhere behind me, and he laid down on the ground, and I laid on top of him. We made out like that for a while, and then I rolled off of him and stared up at the clouds.

"We should probably go back now," I murmured.

"Yeah. We should," Hyde agreed, but neither of us moved.


	10. The Pill

_**The Pill**_

**-IT'S HARD TO WAIT AROUND for something that you know might never happen but it's even harder to give up especially when it's everything you ever WANTED-**

The phone rang throughout the house, and I froze.

"SARAH!" My drunken father screamed up the stairs. "ANSWER THE _FUCKING _PHONE!" I ran downstairs and answered the phone.

"Hello?" I murmured, eyeing my father, nervously. He was stumbling around the kitchen, searching the fridge and pantry for food we didn't have.

"Sarah it's Donna."

"Donna! I told you never to call here! This had better be damn important!"

"It is. Jackie's pregnant." I gasped.

"Jackie's.. wha-? She's.. huh?"

"That's how I felt when Eric told me-"

"Hold on a sec, _Eric _told you?"

"Yeah. Jackie told Eric and Eric told me."

"Well, did you ask Jackie about it?"

"Not yet."

I was sitting around The Hub with the guys and Jackie, nervously eyeing my snobby, cheerleading, raven-haired best friend. Wait a second, best friend? When did that happen?

I glanced over at the door, waiting for Donna, so we could both talk to Jackie alone.

"What's up with you? You're like a million miles away," Hyde whispered to me.

"I have a feeling you'll find out soon enough," I whispered back, just as Donna walked in. I jumped up and stood next to her.

"Um, Jackie? I have to go the bathroom." Donna said, and Jackie made a big deal out of Donna never asking her to go to the bathroom with her before.

"Yeah, whatever," I muttered and dragged Jackie to the bathroom.

"Is it true?" we yelled at the same time, and Jackie sighed.

"Yes. It is true. I am carrying Michael Kelso's child." I groaned.

"Jackie, you're a sophomore! How could you be so stupid?" Donna moaned, and Jackie shrugged.

"I'm a sophomore?" By that time, I had heard what I wanted to hear. I exited the bathroom just in time to see Kelso asked Eric why he was being so weird lately, and Eric answering,

"Jackie's pregnant." Kelso collapsed, knocking over a table and everything, with Fez slapping his face, trying to wake him up.

I ran over to stand by Eric and Hyde just as Donna and Jackie burst out of the bathroom.

"I think he knows..." Jackie said.

I was alone in the basement, watching cartoons when suddenly Donna burst through the door, looking peeved off.

"Uh oh. What happened?" I asked as Donna plopped down next to me.

"My dad found out I was on the pill, and he told ERIC! Now all Eric's gonna want is sex!"

"Hold on a second, Donna, you're on the pill? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Sorry. Back to my problem..."

"Hey, do you think _I _should go on the pill?"

"Sar-"

"Yeah, I think I should."

"SARAH! Focus!"

"Right. Sorry. Back to your problem."

"Thank you! Anyways, now that Eric knows I'm on the pill, things are going to change between us! You think so?"

"Oh yeah. All that horny little bastard is gonna want is sex." Donna groaned.

"I knew this would happen!"

I was leaving the Forman basement when Jackie came rushing up to me.

"Guess what, guess what?" she cried, and I shrugged.

"I don't know. What?"

"I'm _not_ pregnant!"

"Oh My God, Jackie, that's so great!" I cried, and gave her a hug.

"I'm so glad that this is all behind me and I never have to think about this ever again!"

"Jackie, you got lucky this time! From now on, you have to take precautions! You should go on the pill, like me and Donna."

"You and Donna are on the pill?"

"Well, Donna is. I'm going to get on the pill right now. Hey, Donna's in the basement, go tell her what happened."

"Okay!" Jackie squeaked and ran inside.

I turned around and walked away from the Forman's driveway, and to the clinic.

Jackie, Donna, and I were all hanging out in Donna's room, when suddenly Jackie gasped.

"Oh My God, Sarah, you never told us about what happened at the disco!" she cried, and Donna nodded.

"Oh yeah! Spill!"

I told them about how we held hands on the way home from our kegger, kissed at the disco, and made out in the park on career day.

"Ooh!" Jackie squealed, clapping her hands.

"So, are you guys like, going out now?" Donna asked. I shrugged.

"Not yet. I mean, I'm pretty sure he likes me because he made the first move most of the time, but he never said anything about us going out yet. So, we're sort of just fooling around for now, I guess."

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, Jackie just nodded and launched into a story about how she dumped Kelso.

"Wait a minute, _she _dumped _him?_" I whispered to Donna, and she nodded. Damn.


	11. Prom Night

**_Prom Night_**

**I DON'T THINK YOU REALIZE HOW EASILY YOU ****MAKE ME SMILE******

Donna was showing me and Jackie her dress and shoes for prom, and Jackie was pouting about Kelso not asking her to prom. I wasn't paying attention to either one of them. I was too busy daydreaming about what me and Hyde would do while everyone else was at prom, since we both thought it was lame.

"Sarah? Sarah, what do tou think of my dress?" Donna asked, holding it up for me.

"What? Oh, um, it's really pretty. Blue is your color."

"Thanks. Don't you have a dress?" Donna asked, and I shook my head.

"No, I'm not going. Prom is lame."

"She probably can't afford a dress," Jackie whisperedto Donna and I glared at her.

"I heard that."

"And anyway, Jackie, that's _not _wht Sarah isn't going to the prom," Donna said. "it's because she knows that Hyde thinks prom is lame." I rolled my eyes, and blushed.

"Shut up. So, are you and Eric going to _consemate you love?_" I asked Donna, and she and Jackie stared at me.

"I hang out with the guys a lot more than you guys do.. I hear things.. just never mind. So, are you and Eric gonna do it?"

"I don't know.. I think, maybe.."

"Well, tell me about it _if _it happens. I'll catch you guys later," I said, getting up.

"Where are you going?" Jackie asked.

"To go find Hyde. Later." I walked to the door just as Kelso and Eric walked in. I saw the awkward tension between Kelso and Jackie, because of the break-up.

"I'm out," I said, and left the Pinciotti's house.

***

"Sarah you're not going to like this," Donna said, uneasily. We were in her room later that day, and she looked scared to tell me her news.

"I hate stories that start like that," I said, grinning. I tried to ease the tension, but Donna didn't look amused.

"Jackie's going to the prom with Hyde," Donna blurted out, and I froze. I got up off her bed, and stalked out of the room.

"Sarah, wait!" Donna yelled after me, but I ignored her. I ran out of the Pinciotti's house, and started my hike to Jackie's house. I stomped all the way to her huge house, and pounded on the door. Her dad answered it.

"Oh. Hi, Sarah. Jackie's upstairs, in herroom."His tone was cold. Mr. Burkhart had never liked me, because of the "rumor" going around that my respectable, police-officer dad abused me, which he thinks I started to get attention.

I nodded, and ran up to her room.

"Are you going to prom with Hyde?" I demanded.

"OK, Sarah, yes, but only because-"

"You know what, Jackie? I don't want to hear your excuses! You _know _I like Hyde, and now you're going to the fucking _prom _with him? Friends don't _do _that to each other! That's like, the #1 rule of the Girl _freaking _Code!"

"I know, Sarah, I know. And I'm sorry-"

"If you're truly sorry, then you won't go to prom with the guy your best friend likes." I turned and stormed out of her room, and out of her house.

**-PROM NIGHT-**

Everyone went to the prom: Eric and Donna, Jackie and Hyde, Kelso and Pam Macy, even Fez went stag. And I was left alone in the Forman basement, feeling like a lonely loser.

I heard footsteps on the stairs, and turned around to see Laurie running downstairs.

"Sarah! What the hell are you doing here? Isn't it like, prom night or something?"

"Yeah."

"Well, why aren't you there?"

"You don't care."

"That's true. Bye!"

"Later," I said, sighing and I heard her stop and groan.

"OK, fine. Tell me what's wrong," she said, plopping down next to me on the couch.

"Well, I sort of like Hyde, and I think he likes me, too, but then Jackie went to the prom with him because she dumped Kelso, and now I don't know if he likes me or what, and I'm also _super _pissed at Jackie because she _knew _I liked him and she went to prom with him, anyway."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, you like Hyde?"

"Yes. I like Hyde. Moving on. What should I do about Jackie? I told her that if she was a true friend, she wouldn't go to prom with him, and she did, anyway. What should I do?"

"Sleep with Kelso," Laurie replied, and I frowned.

"That is so something you would say."

"No, but it could totally work! You could get back at Jackie and Hyde! It would be _perfect!_"

"Yes, Laurie. I'm going to fix my relationship with Hyde by sleeping with his best friend, and fix my friendship with Jackie by sleeping with her ex-boyfriend. God, I have some class."

"Then maybe I'm not the right person for you to be talking to about this," Laurie admitted, and I rolled my eyes.

"Maybe you're right." I turned back to the TV, and glared at the screen. Why did everyone have to stab you in the back? Laurie got up, and started to walk up the stairs. I heard her footsteps stop, and turned around to look at her.

"Come on," she said, and I stared.

"What?"

"Come on! I'm not going to let you sit home by yourself while all the rest of your friends are out having fun. _Instead, _you're going to a frat party at me while all of your friends are stuck at a lame prom." I considered this.

"OK!"

I stood against a wall at a frat party,holding a beer in my hands, trying to be invisible. Rowdy college kids staggered around drunk, and danced to loud music. Laurie had disappeared into the crowd the minute we got there, and left me to fend for myself.

_I can't believe I let Laurie talk me into this. This is so stupid, I can't believe I'm actually at a frat party. _I frowned. _Of course..it's probably the only frat party I'll ever go to, since I don't have the money for college. _And _this would be the perfect way to get back at Jackie and Hyde. Hmm, I guess no one really gives Laurie enough credit. Ugh, what am I saying? I must be _really _drunk._

I lifted the beer to my lips, and chugged it until there was nothing left. Everything started spinning, and that was when I realized that that was my fourth beer. Damn..maybe that was why I was taking my time drinking that one before..

I staggered out towards the dance floor, and found myself being shoved around by various elbows and wrists. I fell to the ground, and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to get it together. "Hey, are you OK?" I looked up and saw a really hot guy in his early 20s. He had messy black hair, and brown eyes. He had his arm extended, to help me up. I took it.

"Umm..I think.." I murmured, rubbing my eyes.

"Are you drunk?" he asked in a surprised tone.

"I don't know. Am I?" I asked, and suddenly, I couldn't remember. Where was I? Who was that?

"Who are you?" Suddenly, we were standing back by the staircase.

"My name's Derek, and I go to school here. And you are?" School? We weren't at my high school, were we? No way, my high school didn't throw wicked parties like this. Or did they? I didn't know. I didn't know _anything._

"I'm Sarah."

"Do you go to school here?"

"I dunno..do I?" Derek laughed.

"I don't know. Do you? Did you come here with anyone?"

"Umm..yeah. That-that blonde whore..Eric's sister. Yeah, her."

"Eric's sister? Who's Eric, your boyfriend or something?"

"Oh, no way. I mean, Eric's a great guy and everything, but we're just friends. Plus, he's dating my best friend. And anyways, I like Hyde."

"So..you're dating this Hyde guy?"

"No..not yet. We're mostly just fooling around and stuff."

"Oh! So..if you two are just messing around..then do you think it would be OK if you 'just messed around' with me?" Derek asked, with a sly smile on his face. I frowned, trying to keep my thoughts in order, and also trying to keep from collapsing.

"I don't know.." I murmured as Derek started to kiss my neck. "I don't think Hyde would like that very much."

"Oh, come on. It's not like you guys are really together or anything. And if he really liked you, then he would have asked you out already." I frowned, and Derek pressed me up against the wall, and started kissing my lips.

Maybe this kid is right. Wait..about what, again? Hyde. Right. Maybe he doesn't even like me, maybe he just wants to fool around. What if that's why he went to prom with..with..with What's-Her-Face. Maybe I should just move on.

It was the next day, and I was walking up the Forman's driveway, trying to fight off a pounding headache/hangover to see Hyde shooting hoops.

"Hey! Sarah, can I talk to you?"

"Um. Sure, I guess."

"Jackie told me that you were kinda' upset about me taking her to prom, and I just wanted to tell you that I only went with her because-because-well, she cried. She was all bummed about not going with Kelso, and then she started crying and-" Hyde didn't get to finish, because I was too busy cracking up.

"What's so funny?"

"Dudee! She totally owned you with the whole crying thing!" I cried, in between breaths. He just rolled his eyes, an scowled.

"Shut up. Here," he threw me the basketball, and I grabbed it right before it was about to hit me in the face. I reached up and shot the ball, only to have it miss by a mile.

"Dammit!"


	12. Hyde Moves In

**_Hyde Moves In_**

**-I WOULD DO ANYTHING just to be his everything.-**

"Your mom ran off with a trucker?" I cried, and Hyde nodded. I was over at his house, in his abandoned living room. "Damn. Deja' vu." 

"You're telling me," he said, and slapped my hand away when I reached for a cracker. 

"So, your mom and dad ran off? What're you gonna do?" I asked, and Hyde shrugged. 

"You could stay in my room," I joked, smirking, and he smiled, too. 

"Well, wouldn't that be fun?" I laughed. 

"Yeah. You could sneak in my window, and hide in my closet when my dad comes in," I said, laughing. Hyde leaned over and kissed me on the lips, and we both smiled. 

We were acting like a total couple, but Hyde hadn't made any offers yet. I guess we were acting this way was because we were alone, and felt more comfortable. 

"It's a pretty sweet deal, though. I have a fridge full of beer, and the house all to myself," Hyde pointed out, and I nodded. 

"So...we have the house...all to ourselves?" I asked, and Hyde caught on pretty fast. I sat on his lap, and we started making out. 

Somehow, Donna, Jackie, and I let the guys convince us to go skinny-dipping. 

"Okay..." Donna murmured as the 7 of us stood by the reservoir. "who wants to strip first?" 

"Not me!" Jackie hissed, and I rolled my eyes. 

"Oh My God, fine! I'll strip first!" I whispered, and stripped off my clothes, and dove into the icy-cold water butt-naked. I came up and spit water out of my mouth. 

"What are you guys waiting for?" I yelled. "Get in!" 

The guys and Donna quickly stripped down and jumped in, too, yelling and laughing.  
>"Jackie, get in!" I yelled, and she ran to go strip behind a tree. <p>

"Come on, Jackie! Don't be like that!" Kelso moaned, and Jackie ran towards the lake and dove in. 

The boys and the girls sort of kept their distance, since we were both...naked.  
>Or...the girls tried to keep their distance, and the guys followed us around like bloodhounds, joking and laughing. <p>

"C'mere, Jackie!" Kelso yelled, swimming after her (apparently they're back together now?), with a bi smile on his face, with Jackie shrieking and dog-paddling away like her life depended on it. 

Eric "casually" threw an arm over Donna's shoulder, and started talking to her, grinning like a madman. 

I was leaning against the edge of the reservoir, and Fez swam up to me. 

"Hellooo, Sarah-" 

"Get bent, Fez." 

"Yeah, Fez, leave her alone." Hyde said, and Fez swam away, pouting. 

"Thanks. Who knows what Fez would have tried with me all naked and stuff." 

"Yeah. Hey, look, he's going after Jackie now!" Hyde yelled, and pointed, and I laughed. 

"Aw, poor Jackie!" I cried, laughing. 

"You know, it was really cool of you, the way you stripped in front of everybody. It was like you didn't care that everyone saw you naked." 

"That's because I don't." 

"Why?" 

"I don't know. I just don't. I guess I just wanted to show off my super hot bod." Hyde laughed. "Oh, you know you liked it." 

"Oh yeah. Sure did." 

"Hey. it's getting kind of drafty in here. I'm gonna get out, kaay?" 

"Yeah, me too." We both got out, and I gasped. 

"Where are our clothes?" I cried, and everyone turned to look at us. 

"What happened?" Donna asked. 

"Our clothes got stolen!" 

"WHAT?" 

We all went back to Hyde's house after our clothes got stolen, because there were no parents. Donna and I put on some of Edna's slutty clothes, but Jackie refused, and covered up with only a towel. 

Jackie demanded Kelso bring her home and Donna, Eric, and Fez bailed, too. So then it was just me and Hyde. 

"Forman seemed pretty worried about you, with your mom running off and all," I said. 

"Yeah, well, that's just Forman being Forman. He'll get over it." 

Eric so did not get over it. Hyde ended up moving in with the Formans. I was bubbling with jealousy, especially since I was sporting a black eye from my dad. 

And despite being so nice to her at the reservoir, I was still super pissed at Jackie for going to prom with Hyde. 

I slipped out of the house and ran to the park, running as fast as my legs would allow.  
>There were a few small children there with their soccer moms, but other than that, the park was deserted. I sat on the bottom of the slide, and buried my face in my hands. I let the tears slip down my face as I thought about the mess my life has become. <p>

My mom ran out on me, and my dad abused me on a daily basis. I was fooling around with one of my best friends who I had always come to for reassurance (sp?) due to our similiar backgrounds, until now, when my heart burned with jealousy towards him instead of-love? lust? passion?-and I had been betrayed by one of my best friends.  
>It seemed like everything was coming crashing down.<p> 


	13. The Good Son

**_The Good Son_**

**-There's always that one special person that no matter what they do to you, you can't **_**let them go.-**_

I was lying in my bed, wrapped in the roughness of my thin sheets.

A few tear droplets slipped from my lashes, and fell onto the pillow, as I stared out the window of my bedroom.

In a desperate attempt to escape my harsh reality, I closed my ocean-blue eyes, and imagined a pergect world where my mother and father were back together and happily married, where they loved each other and their only daugher. Hyde would have asked me to be his girlfriend a long time ago, and-as logn as we're pretending-Kelso wouldn't cheat on Jackie. Everything would be perfect in this perfect, imaginary little world.

But that world wasn't real, and I was stuck with my own crappy reality. Light shone through the window, turning the insides of my eyelids from black to orange, and I turned my face away from the sunlight, and into my pillow, letting my sobs fill the entire room.

Then, I lifted my tear-stained face to look over at the clock, and it read: 9:45.

Damn! I was going to be late for-oh, wait a second, it was a Saturday.

Good. I REALLY didn't want to get up and face the world right now.

Monday

I stumbled out of bed, and fell to the floor. My legs turned to Jell-O, and they wobbled as I picked myself up, and stumbled towards my closet, clinging to the closet door.

I concentrated on breathing in and out for a few minutes, taking in big gusts of air.

I sunk to my knees, clutching my right wrist to my chest, and fumbled through my closetful of clothes with my left.

I pulled on a pair of jeans, and asneakers and shoved a large sweatshirt over my head to cover up the various throbbing bruises on my upper torso, and thrust a pair of sunglasses on to cover my bloodshot, sleep-deprived eyes.

I practically fell out the front door, and stumbled my way to school, my bookbag banging against my already-aching side.

My dad was drinking, and he was even shooting crack, the whole weekend. Thanks to the crack, my dad wouldn't let me leave the house because he was so paranod because he thought that I was going to report him to the police, and he would get arrestedd and taken off the squad.

Thanks to the beer, he beat and raped me nonstop all weekend. And when I say nonstop, I mean _nonstop_.

I hadn't slept or eaten in 2 days. The main reason I was even going to school was because there was food there, and I couldn't stay in my own house another day.

I put my things in my locker, and walked to my first class like a zombie.

I sat next to Kelso, and he stared at me.

"Not a good hair day, huh?" he guessed, and for once I was grateful for his stupidity.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever."

I layed my head down against my sleeve, and quickly slipped into a deep sleep. Who gave a damn about history, anyway?

"Sarah! Sarah, wake up!" I was being shaken awake, and I sat up and rubbed my eyes. It was Kelso who had woken me up.

"Wh-what's going on?" I murmured.

"The class is over. Everybody left."

"What?" I looked around, and sure enough, everyone was gone. "Damn! Hey, thanks, Kelso, I owe you one." I ran out of the history classroom, and to my locker.

I had math next with Hyde and Eric. Of course they were sitting together, and I sat on the other side of Hyde.

"Whoa, man, what happened to you?" he asked, and I just shrugged him off. I didn't feel like talking.

"Sarah, seriously, man, are you OK?" Hyde spoke a little louder this time, and it caught Eric's attention.

"Whoa, Sarah! Are you OK? What happened?" Eric asked, but I just shut my eyes and buried my face in my hands.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"Sarah! Sarah Hope!" I snapped my head up to look at the person talking. It was my math teacher.

"WHAT?" I snapped.

"_Get up here and figure out the problem on the board!_"

"Whatever," I said, and trudged my way up to the board. When I got there, I started getting really dizzy and I had a really bad headache.

"Whoa..." I muttered, and pressed the palm of my hand against my forehead.

My math teacher cleared her throat, impatiently. "Ahem?"

"Yeah?" I said, turning around, and I suddenly saw a bunch of spots, and I lost my balance. The floor came rushing up to meet me, and everything went black.

I woke up in the nurse's office with the nurse patting my face with a hot towel.

I moaned and looked around to see Eric and Hyde sitting next to me, looking concerned.

"Sarah! Are you OK?" Eric cried once he saw that I was awake.

"What-what happened?" I asked, and it was the nurse that answered.

"Oh, well, honey, Steven and Eric brought you here after you fainted."

"I fainted?" I asked.

"Yeah!" Hyde cried. "What the hell happened to you?"

"I-my dad, man. He was super messed up this weekend. It was crazy scary."

"Oh man, Sarah, what did he do to you?" Eric asked, worriedly.

"I don't want to talk about it, OK?" I snapped, and rubbed my eyes.

"You can't keep living like this," Hyde said. "You'll die."

I laughed, weakly. "Yeah. You're telling me."

"Sarah, you can come live with me. I'll convince Red and Kitty...looking at you, it won't be that hard-" Eric trailed off.

"Whatever." I said, and closed my eyes.

"Hun, Steven and Eric are gonna take you home, alright?" the nurse said, and I felt myself being hoisted into a pair of arms. I assumed it was Hyde, because his arms were actually muscular. Haha.

Hyde put me in the backseat of the Vista Cruiser, and Eric drove. I fell asleep almost immediately.

I woke up being hoisted into Hyde's arms again, and he started walking. I felt myself being dropped onto a bed, and I peeked and saw that it was Eric's bed and Eric's room.

Thank God...

I should have known that they wouldn't bring me home.

I fell asleep as soon as I shut my eyes again.

I woke up to darkness. I was still in Eric's bed, but inside the room was dark, and outside was dark. The moon shone in through the window, and it made it clear for me to see Eric and Hyde sleeping on the floor. I looked over at the clock: 3:57 AM.

Sighing, I got up from the bed and quietly opened the door that led to the hallway. I crept down the stairs, and opened the Forman's refridgerator (sp?). I felt bad about invading their home, but I was fucking starving.

I took out an apple, and a carton of juice, and I sat down at the table to eat.

A light turned on behind me and I turned around and saw Red.

"What are you doing here? The last time I checked, you were sleeping in my son's bed."

"I-um-Eric brought me here-"

"It's fine," he said, sitting down across from me. "So things are getting pretty rough back home, huh?"

I sighed and avoided his eyes. "Yeah, I guess. But you don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine."

"Oh yeah? What happened to your arm there?" Red asked, eyeing my right arm that I was clutching to my chest.

"I, um, I broke it-falling down the stairs..."

"Yeah. Sure you did."

"Look. You don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine."

"Alright," Red said, and got up to leave the room. "You can stay here one more night, then you have to go back home."

"Kaay," I grumbled.

"You stupid-ass little bitch!" My father screamed, raining fists down on me. I whimpered in pain as splats of blood covered my shirt.

"You can't do _anything _right! You'll never amount to anything, you'll always be a failure because you're a stupid, lazy broad!" He whipped a blender at me, and I shrieked when it made contact with my skin.

"Get out of my _fucking _sight, you stupid, ugly slut!" He screamed, and I shakily got up and ran up to my room. I shut the door and sunk down to the ground. I put my head between my knees and cried, quietly. I screamed into my legs (not in a perverted way) and let the sound waves carry. It felt so good to just scream. I felt like I was shouting my problems to the air, and it felt awesome.

The door flew open, making my entire room shake. My dad grabbed my arm, and threw me onto the bed, and ripped open my T-shirt and pants. I screamed and cried when he hurt me in the most possible way.

I put on a new T-shirt and jeans, and ran into the Forman kitchen, where they were eating dinner, and practically jumped into Hyde's lap, wrapping my arms around him and sobbing into his neck.

"What the hell?" Red cried, and I could feel Hyde shrug and then awkwardly pat my back.

"Sarah, honey, what's wrong?" Kitty asked, but I only cried harder.

"Sarah, can you tell me what's wrong?" Kitty asked, nicely.

"Yeah, uh, we can see that!" Eric said. "But why are you upset?"

"Because of my dad! I hate him so much!"

"Well, can you tell us what your dad did? So you can stop soaking Steven with tears and mascara?" Kitty suggested, and I leaned bacvk and sniffled and wiped my eyes.

"He-made me upset." I really didn't want to tell them about how my dad beat and raped me.

"He hurt you, didn't he?" Hyde asked, and I nodded, sadly, and I could feel tears spring into my eyes.

"So, you'll be just fine, huh?" Red asked, and I looked at the floor."

"I, umm..."

"OK, I can't take this anymore. Sarah, do you want to come live with us?" Eric asked.

"Eric!" Red snapped, and Kitty shushed him.

"No, honey, I agree with Eric..."

"No. I don't want to guilt you guys into doing this, I'm really sorry." I said. "I just wanted to find Hude, but I guess I'll just talk to him later." I got up and walked out the door, and I mentally slapped myself. I couldn't believe I put them on the spot like that. I hadn't mean to, but still.

"Sarah, wait!" I turned around and saw Hyde and Eric running after me.

"What?"

"Sarah, please come live with us!" Eric begged, and I shook my head.

"No way, your family already has financial problems. I don't want to be a burden."

"You could bunk with Laurie, and you could pay rent!" Eric suggested, and I shrugged.

"I dont' know. Do your parents even want me here?"

"Red is pulling the car around right now to go pick up your stuff," Hyde said.

"What? He is?"

"Yeah. We're going with you to tell your dad."

"Thanks, you guys. It means a lot," Red pulled around the Toyota, and we all got in.

"I really appreciate this, Mr. Forman. I promise you won't regret this, I'll pay rent and everything," I said.

"Sounds good."

My stomach did somersaults as Red, Eric, Hyde, adn I rung the doorbell to my house, and stood on the porch.

"I'm nervous," I muttered to Hyde, and he nodded in agreement.

The door opened and my dad stared. He stunk of beer and cigarettes.

"Sarah. what the hell?" he slurred. "What are these people here?"

I gulped. "Because I'm moving in with them, and I'm here to get my stuff."

"You're m-moving in with them? he stuttered, squinting, as if trying to keep me in focus.

"Yeah. I can't let you hurt me anymore, Dad."

"First Cindy (Sarah's mom) and now you? I'm all alone..."

"I'm sorry, but I really have to do what's good for me."

"Everyone's always leaving. And I won't let you leave, too," he snarled, and grabbed my arm.

"Let me go!" I yelled, struggling, and Eric stepped forward.

"Hey, come on, let her go," he said, and my dad pulled me inside, and tried to close the door.

Hyde stopped it, and he and Eric burst through the door.

"Let her go!" Hyde roared, and punched my dad in the face, sending him sprawling backwards, ripping the sleeve off my shirt. Hyde and Eric practically jumped on him, and Red gently put his hand on my arm.

"Come on, let's go get your stuff," he said, and I ran up the stairs. I flew open the door to my room and shoved all of my clothes into a duffel bag. I threw in toothbrushes and flip-flops, and even some of my short stories and poems that were scrawled on loose-leaf paper. I just wanted to get the hell out of there.

I grabbed my bag, and met Red at the bottom of the stiars, where he pried my dad, and Eric and Hyde apart.

"Alright, that's enough!" he screamed. "Everyone just calm down!"

"Dad, I'm leaving. You can't stop me."

"Yes, I can! You're my daughter, and you're underage!"

"Yes, she is," Red said, calmly. "But there is also proog that you have been abusing _your _daughter, which would mean that Social Services would remover her from your care, and into someone else's-or mine."

"Oh yeah? And what proof?" my father spat, and Red lifted up my shirt, revealing various bruises and scars.

"And I also have 3 witnesses who saw you grab her arm, and threaten her. Should I go on?"

"No," he growled. We all got the hell out of there, and before I left, I turned back and said,

"Dad?"

"Yeah, Sarah?" he said, lifting up his head, with tearful eyes.

"Go to hell."

Hyde and Eric were laying on the couch, puttin ice packs on their black eyes.

"Hey, guys," I said, walking into the living room.

"Hey, Sarah," they both said.

"I just wanted to thank you guys for standing up for me. I'm really lucky to have friends like you." I said, and gave them each a kiss on the cheek before I put my stuff in Laurie's room.


	14. Red's Last Day

Top of Form 1

_**Red's Last Day**_

Bottom of Form 1

**-Just **_**shut up **_**and**_** kiss me**_** already.-**

I thought that moving in with Laurie would only make her bitchier and sluttier, but she was actually pretty nice to me. I know! I was surprised, too!

She was pretty cranky at first, having to share a room with me and all, but she seemed to warm up to me. Or-or something.

We were lying on her bed, reading magazines and painting our nails when suddenly she looked me in the eye and said, "I always liked you."

"What?" I asked, surprised.

"I always liked you the most out of all of Eric's stupid friends. You and Donna, I guess."

"Oh, so I was the least...stupid?"

"Yeah, exactly!"

"Umm...thanks?"

"You're welcome. You know, it could be fun having a roommate. I could take you under my wing."

"You're not gonna take me to frat parties and dress me like a slut again, are you?" I asked, frowning.

"Are you kidding? That's like, all we'll do!" Laurie cried, excitedly, and I frowned.

"Don't you ever get tired of that?" I asked, and Laurie put down her magazine, and blew on her freshly pink nails.

"Tired of what?"

"You know...frat parties and hooking up with married guys and sex and drinking all the time?"

"You're not serious, are you? Oh God, you _are _serious!"

"Yeah, I mean, doing all that sounds fun and all, but don't you ever just want a _real _boyfriend who gets you flowers and goes on dates with you and stuff, instead of just haveing meaningless sex with a bunch of married guys?" Laurie thought aboiut this.

"Maybe when my looks start to go, yeah. But for now, I'm OK where I am." I shrugged.

"Suit yourself."

"Why?" Laurie asked. "Is that what you want? A boyfriend?"

"Yeah, I guess."

Laurie wasn't the only one who I was getting to know better, since I moved in.

I plopped down on the couch in the living room, and grabbed for the remote.

"Don't bother," I looked up and saw Eric sit down next to me. "I dripped a bowling ball into the TV last week, and Hyde and I still have to buy Red a new one."

"Oh yeah!" I cried, laughing. "Donna told me about that! What were you thinking, you bonehead?" Eric shrugged. "I dunno. I guess I wasn't. Well, obvioiusly. I dropped a _bowling ball _in my TV." I laughed.

"Yeah. So, you wanna go down to the basement and watch a TV that's bowling ball-less?"

"Sure." We got up and went down to the basement, and sat on the couch. Eric turned on some pointless sitcom with cheesy lines and a teenage girl with the perfect family and a prom crisis.

"God, what happened to TV?" I asked, frowning at the crap I was watching.

"I don't know. What else is on?"

"I don't know! You change the channel! Dammit, where's Fez when you need him?" I yelled, and Eric laughed.

"Yeah. Well, later," he said, getting up.

"Hey! Where are you going?"

"Up to my room to uh, uh, lift weights and stuff..."

"You're gonna read nudie mags and play with G.I. Joe's, aren't you?"

"I-no-damn, how'd you know?" I giggled, and stood up, too.

"Come on, Eric, I know you! Hey, can I come?"

"You wanna look at nudie mags and play with G.I. Joe's?"

"I'm REALLY bored..."

"OK, fine. Come on."

We went up to his room, and Eric took out a dirty magazine from under his bed, and I took out some G.I. Joe's and Star Wars stuff from his closet.

"Eric! Come play with me!" I squeaked, holding up an action figure of Darth Vadar. "I'm looonely without you!"

"Get bent, Sarah!" Eric yelled, and threw a magazine at my head.

"OW! You tool! Ooh, lookie here!" I opened Eric's nudie mag, and flipped through it. "DAMN! Look at the jugs on that chick! Ooh, but she has a cute top."

"Sarah, give me back my magazine."

"No! You have a whole stack of them under your bed! And besides, if you wanted to see a naked slut, you could just walk in on your sister. Ya' know, if you think about it, this magazine is like hundreds of Laurie's."

"Shut up, Sarah, you're ruining nudie mags for me! Give it back!"

"No!" I yelled, and flipped the page. "Oh My God, where did she get her make-up done? That is SO beautiful! Damn, I'be got to try that some time!"

"Sarah!" Eric moaned. "Give me my nudie mag back!"

"Oh My god, she's so pretty! But sorta skanky. WHOA! Is that two chicks making out? Damn, Hyde was right, that IS hot! Shit, now I know why guys look at these magazines, this is fun!" I flipped the page again. "I wish there was a magazine like this for chicks. A whole magazine filled with hot, naked guys. God, I'm such a perv. I'm turning into yo-!"

Eric tackled me, and we rolled around on the floor.

"Eric! Ow! You're on my hair!"

"Gimme back my magazine!"

"No!" I tightened my grip on the magazine, and Eric pinned me to the ground, trying to yank it out of my hands.

"Get OFF me, Eric, you're hurting me!" I yelled, and giggled. Eric grabbed the magazine from my hands, and rolled off me.

"You dillhole!" I yelled, smaking him over the head with a G.I. Joe.

"Whatever," Eric said, laying back down on his bed.

"Hey, you guys, I'm gonna go finish up my homework. I'll see you guys later," Donna said, and left the basement, so that it was only me and Jackie.

"Finally! I thought she's _never _leave! Sarah, we need to _talk!_"

"About what?"

"Don't play dumb with me! I know all about you and Eric!"

"Oh My God. Eric told you?"

"No! But it's OBVIOUS!"

"Wait a minute, what are you talking about?" I asked, frowning.

"Eric cheating on Donna with you!" Jackie cried, and I gasped.

"WHAT?" I yelled. "Eric and I aren't-does anybody else think that?"

"I don't know. And I thought you were going out with poor, dirty Hyde was bad, but now you're doing it with Eric, who's all skinny and pale?"

"Jackie! I am _not _doing it with Eric! We're _just _friends!"

"Then how come you two have done _everything _together the past week?" It was true. We hung out in his room, watched TV all night in the basement, and he even drove me to The Hub in the Vista Cruiser, and spent hours just talking and joking over chilli dogs and Cokes.

"So? We're _just _friends!"

"Yeah, OK. _Whatever._" Jackie said, sarcastically, and I stomped out of the basement.

I slapped a hand to my forehead. This was not happening. How could Jackie possibly think that I was doing it with Eric? He was my best friend's boyfriend. I'm not THAT much of a bitch!

"Hey, Sarah," Eric said, plopping down next to me on the couch.

"Eric, we need to talk."

"About what?"

"About..." I just couldn't bring myself to say that Jackie had convinced herself that we were having sex. "About Donna."

"What about Donna? Is she mad at me?"

"Umm...no. She's not mad at you."

"Then what's the problem?" I sighed, and looked up at him, about to spill the beans, when I realized how close we were.

"I...umm...Donna...she..." I muttered, and we inched closer and closer, until our lips touched. Everything else in the world just melted away, and the only thing that mattered-that really _mattered _was that I was sitting on the couch in the basement, kissing Eric Forman.

The only time I had ever felt this way was when I was fooling around with Hyde.

Hyde. Donna. Hyde and Donna. Oh crap! I pulled back, and gasped.

"Oh My God. Oh My God, Eric, did we just-NO. No, Eric, no, no, NO! I LOVE Donna, and I love Hyde, and I could never stab them in the back like that. I'm not THAT kind of person-I'm not like Kelso!"

"I couldn't agree with you more, Sarah. I love Donna, too, and Hyde's my best friend, and I don't want to hurt either one of them."

"This can never happen again," I agreed, and Eric nodded.

"Never."

After Eric and I made our vow, I went up to the room that Eric and Hyde shared. I knocked on the door, and Hyde opened it.

"Hey, Sarah-" I interrupted him by wrapping my arms aroun his neck, and pressing my lips to his. We backed up into the room, and he slammed the door for some privacy. He fell back onto the bed, and I fell onto him.

I threw Hyde's glasses across the room, and he fumbled with my bra strap. I reached back to help him and then threw it in the same direction as his glasses.

"What's this about?" Hyde mumbled as I began kissing his neck.

"Does it matter?"

"I guess not."

We went on like this for a few more minutes, until Hyde tried to lift up my shirt.

"Wait," I murmured, and grabbed his hand.

"Sorry."

"It's just-maybe we're going too fast. I mean, we'ere not even going out. We're just..." I trailed off.

"We're just what?" Hyde asked, and I sighed.

"I dunno...I don't know what we're doing."

"Is that a problem?"

"I didn't say that. We have a good thing here. Now come on, let's go back to making out. I was having a good time." I leaned in for a kiss, and Hyde met my lips.

I was sitting at the Forman's kitchen table alte at night, with a cup of hot chocolate, thinking about the kiss (mine and Eric's, not mine and Hyde's).

"Hey. What are you doing up?" I looked up and saw Hyde sitting down next to me.

"I just couldn't sleep."

"Me either," Hyde said, and took a gulp of my hot chocolate.

"Hey!"

"Oh, relax. So what're you thinking about?"

"Umm...nothing. It's nothing," I wanted to tell him so bad. I really did. But I couldn't.

"What's bugging you?" he asked, frowning.

"Nothing. Nothing important, anyways." _It never happened, remember? Just forget about it. _"Really...it's nothing."

Hyde shrugged. "Whatever. If you say so."

"Yeah." We sat in silence for a while, until I felt his lips on my neck, and his arms wrapped around my waist.

"Hyde," I giggled. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," he mocked and I tried not to laugh out loud.

***

Eric and I were sitting on the couch in the basement, with the TV on mute, just talking.

"So, does Donna talk about me at all?" Eric asked.

"Sometimes," I said, shrugging.

"Well, what does she say?"

"What do you want to know?" I asked, smirking.

"I don't know...like..."

"None of us realy talk about our boyfriends unless we're mad at them, or we did something important with them. It's the same with you guys, I'm sure."

"Yeah...wait a sec! You said 'our' boyfriends. Donna and Jackie have boyfriends, but the last time I checked, _you _don't have a boyfriend," Eric mocked me.

"Shut up."

"So, you and Hyde, huh?"

"I don't know...I mean...I don't know...we fool around and stuff, but Hyde's never mentioned anything about us _really _going out, and it doesn't seem like he's going to."

"Do you want him to? Ask you out, I mean?"

"Yeah, kinda. I mean...yeah. But it's no big deal."

"Sure it is. He'll come around, Sarah. For a long time, Donna and I didn't know what we were doing, but then I finally asked her out, and now things are really good between us. They..._are _good between us, right?"I laughed.

"Yes. You guys are fine; she hasn't said anything bad about you in a while."

"OK, good."

I brought my voice down to a whisper: "I'm glad we can still be friends, and talk like this, even after the kiss."

"Shh!" Eric hissed, and we both looked around to make sure no one was listening. "It never happened, remember? We never kissed."

"Right. Sorry, it's just-it's hard to keep this big of a secret from everybody."

"There's no secret to keep! It NEVER happened."

"You're right, Eric, this is ridiculous. It never happened, and there's no reason to hurt Hyde and Donna, cuz it'll never happen again." I didn't know who I was trying to convince: Eric or myself.

***

I walked into the kitchen, and saw Kitty baking something in the oven.

"Hey, Mrs. Forman. Where did the guys go?"

"Oh, Eric, Steven, and um-what's his name-Fez, went to go pick up Red at Charlie's Bar."

"Oh," I said, crackinga smile. "is Red drunk?"

"No, NO, he is just-he's not feeling well!" Kitty cried.

"Well, yeah, cuz he's so drunk."

"No, he's just not feeling well!" Kitty cried.

"Yeah, OK, whatever. What are we having for dinner?"

"Oh, I'm making chicken and mashed potatoes."

"Ooh, yum."

***

I was reading a book in my room-or the room I shared with Laurie-and it was late at night. Laurie was gone, and I lit up the room with a small lamp.

"Hi, Sarah," someone slurred, and I looked up and saw Eric standing in the doorway, holding onto the wall.

"Eric, are you drunk?"

"Yeah...I think so. Can I come in? Oh, I'm already in," he muttered, stumbling into the room and falling down on the bed.

I sat down on Laurie's bed, next to him, and Eric leaned up and kissed me hard. He grabbed my shoulders, and pressed my body to his. I pushed back, and shook my head.

"Eric, no. We agreed to never do this again."

"But why would we do it the first time if we _really _didn't want to? I mean, we _must _like each other if we kissed...in the...first place. Right?"

"Umm...I guess..." I murmured, and Eric kissed me again, wrapping his arms around me the way only Hyde had. He kissed me the way only Hyde had. But he also did one thing that Hyde and I hadn't done in a long time: we had sex. He touched me in places that hadn't been touched in so long. And it made me feel so good. Kissing his lips and running my hands through his hair, and touching his naked body to mine. And I loved it.

***

I woke up the next morning in Laurie's bed, Eric and I both naked and under the covers, lying next to each other. He was still sleeping.

I looked over at the clock: 5:37. Oh, fuck. "Eric! Eric, wake up!" I whispered, shaking him awake.

"Huh? Sarah? What happened?" he moaned, sleepily, rubbing his eyes. "Eric, get up and get dressed. _Now, _before anyone wakes up."

"But-did we-?" I nodded.

"Now go. GO!" Eric jumped out of bed, and bolted out the door. I got up and changed into a pair of shorts, and a T-shirt, and sat on the bed.

"We should both go to hell," Eric said, sitting down next to me on Laurie's bed, and I nodded.

"We can't keep doing this!" I cried, hiding my head in my hands. "Donna and Hyde mean too much to me to keep doing this."

"Yeah. Me too."

"Do you remember any of it?" Eric sighed.

"Yeah. Some parts. You were...good. Not being a virgin...feels good."

"No, no, no, Eric, this never happened! So as far as everyone is concerned, you're still a virgin."

"Do you know how hard that's gonna be?" Eric moaned.

"I don't care! Just keep it to yourself. You might not be able to probe to the guys that you're a man, but you and I will know the truth."

"O-OK."

***

I was watching TV on the couch, when suddenly Laurie strutted into the room.

"Oh. Hi, Laurie," I said, and then she grabbed the remote from my hands and changed the channel.

"Hey! Give it back!"

"Oh,I don't think so. You might want to be nice to me if you want me to keep quiet about how you had dirty, hot sex with my baby brother." My jaw dropped to the floor.


	15. The Velvet Rope

_**The Velvet Rope**_

**-true love lasts forever-**

"Should we really be going out to a club with everything going on?" Eric hissed to me. We were in the bathroom, whispering to each other in a panic.

"Yeah. I think this will be good. We need a chance to just go out and take our minds off it, and for you to have fun with Donna, and me with Hyde," I whispered back.

"Right. Good. But what are we gonna do about Laurie?"

"I don't know...when we get back, I'll beg her to keep quiet about it. I'll let you know."

"Kaay."

***

It was the night when we were all going to the club, and Hyde and Eric had the basic-white shirts and brown jackets. Donna lent me a really pretty dress that was neon orange, with a really thin strap on my left shoulder, and no strap on my right. There was a hot pink sew-on belt that wrapped around my waist.

When Hyde and Eric saw me, they pretended to be blinded. "Shut up!" I yelled, laughing. "I like fun colors, OK?"

Fez and Donna came over, and I immediately started gushing over Donna's dress.

"Oh My God, Donna, you look so beautiful!"I cried.

"Thanks! You do, too!"

"OK, OK, we both look extremely hot. Now can we go?"I asked.

The five of us piled into the Vista Cruiser-Eric in the driver's seat, Donna in shotgun, and Hyde, Fez, and I crammed in the back.

We didn't really talk much, except how great each other looked and how much fun this would be.

I couldn't help but stare at Eric. _Damn, he looks hot tonight._ I thought, and shut my eyes, envisioning our night together.

"Sarah, are you OK?" Fez asked, and I opened my eyes and saw him and Hyde staring at me.

"Umm...yeah. I just had a headache, but I'm OK now."

"Alright."

I was definitely _not _OK.

Eric was a good guy. He would never do anything to hurt Donna again. He would never touch me that way again. But I wanted him to. I wanted him to touch me so bad.

***

We approached the front doors, to go ask the bouncer how long the wait would be, when he let me and Donna in right away, but kept Eric, Hyde, and Fez behind the rope.

"Oh, well, we'll just wait with you guys!" Donna offered, completely oblivious to what was going on. But I knew why the bouncer wouldn't let them in. ANd I would never let them live it down. Heh heh...

Eric convinced us to go in, so we did. And this club was amazing. There was a band onstage, with music pumping and teenagers jumping and dancing.

Flashing lights lit up the club, and there was a sidebar on the side (well, obviously) that sold drinks, like a bar.

"This place is so cool!" Donna yelled, and I nodded in agreement. "Come on, Sarah, let's go dance!"

"OK!" I cried, and we ran out to the dance floor.

We jumped and pumped our fists, and pretended to know the words to the song that was playing.

"This is a cool band!" I screamed, trying to be heard above all the noise.

"I know, right?" Donna screamed back, and we both giggled, and danced some more.

"Hey, maybe we should check on the guys," I said, and Donna nodded.

"Yeah, let's go." We stumbled off the dance floor, laughing and tripping over our own feet to go out the door we came in.

"Why aren't you guys inside? This place is great!" Donna gushed, and I smirked at Hyde.

"Yeah, guys. Why aren't you inside?" I mocked him, and he just smirked at me, annoyingly.

Eric made up some lame-ass excuse about why they were "back" in line, and we went back inside.

"You don't seriously believe them, do you?" I asked, and Donna frowned.

"What?"I tried not to laugh.

"Never mind."

***

"Hello!" someone chirped behind us, and Donna and I turned around.

"FEZ!" I yelled. "How'd you get in?"

"I just showed the bouncer that I wasn't a loser by showing him my love for disco music."

Donna and I both looked at each other and laughed.

"Come on, Fez, let's go dance," Fez said, and we all got out on the dance floor again, and Donna and I watched Fez go all out to the disco music that was now being blared from the speakers.

"WHOO! GO, FEZ!" I screamed, jumping up and down.

"Come on, where are Eric and Hyde?" Donna moaned.

"Right here." We all turned around, and gasped.

"HYDE!" I yelled, and gave him a hug.

"How did you get in?" Donna asked.

Hyde shrugged. "Doesn't matter. Hey, come on, Sarah, I'll buy you a drink."

"They sell drinks here?" I asked. "But we're underage."

"I don't know. Maybe they do. Let's go see."

I followed Hyde to the bar, and he bought me a drink, and one for himself.

"I'm surprised they sell alcohol here,"I slurred. "and that they let kids our age in. It doesn't make any sense."

"Sarah, I think you're drunk," Hyde said, warily.

"Yeah, I think I am," I said, giggling. "I don't know why...but I seem to be getting drunk a LOT lately. And do you know what else I've been doing a lot?"

"What is that?"

"Sex!" I blurted out, and burst into a fit of giggles. Hyde burst out laughing, too.

"Sarah, we've only had sex that one time. And we were 13."

"No, not just you." Hyde frowned.

"Like who?"

"Like that Derek kid at the frat party that Laurie took me to on prom night. Oh yeah. And with Eric."

Hyde stood up. "With Forman?"

I nodded. "Yepp. But wait! Hyde, you CAN'T tell Donna. She would hate me. And don't tell Eric I told you, either. We weren't supposed to talk about it."

"Then what the hell am I supposed to do?" Hyde yelled, and I winced.

"I don't know. I'm sorry. Eric was drunk, and it just h-happened. We never meant to hurt anyone. It was just that one time, and nobody was ever supposed to find out."

"Well, I did. And I have to tell Donna," Hyde said.

"No! Hyde, please don't!" I begged, tears springing into my eyes. "That would ruin everything!"

"Ruin what? Your perfect little affair with Eric?"

"No! No, God, no, that will never happen again. I'm saying it would ruin my relationship with Donna. And it would ruin my relationship with you."

"Our relationship is already ruined, Sarah," Hyde spat before disappearing into the crowd.

"HYDE!" I screamed after him, and jumped up from the seat, but my head suddenly screamed with pain, and the floor came spiraling up to meet me.

***

"Sarah? Sarah? I think she's coming to." I opened my eyes, and I saw Donna and Fez kneeling down next to me. We were still at the club.

"What happened?" I murmured, flinching against the bright lights.

"You fell. And Ithink you're drunk."

"I-what-? Hyde! Oh My God, where is he?"

"Hyde? I don't know...I think he went that way," Donna said, pointing, and I got up and ran in that direction as fast as my drunken legs would carry me.

When I found him, he was beating Eric to a bloody pulp. "Hyde! Hyde, stop it! Stop, you're hurting him!"I shrieked, pulling Hyde off of Eric.

"Why? You don't want your little boyfriend to get hurt?" Hyde screamed, yanking his armut of my grip.

"He's NOT my boyfriend! He's DONNA'S boyfriend! I like _you! _Got it? _You. _I made a mistake, OK? I'm _sorry._ Please forgive me."

"Fine. Whatever," Hyde growled and turned away from me. "I forgive you."

"Eric,I think we should leave now,"I said, and he nodded, picking himself up off the ground.

I know Hyde said that he forgave me, but things would still be weird between us. Or maybe not. Maybe he would just go hide behind his stupid sunglasses, and act like everything's OK. Act like he doesn't care.

Ughh. Whatever.


	16. I Love Cake

_**I Love Cake**_

**-You're one in a million.-**

Hyde and I were lying on his cot/bed thing in his tiny room in the basement, making out.

The kisses deepened, and Hyde moved his hands down to my waist. He started to lift up my shirt, and my hand wavered over his, debating on whether or not I should let him go that far.

I grazed his hand as I pulled my shirt off over my head, revealing my bare, open chest. Hyde began kissing my neck, and murmured,

"Are you nervous?"

"No," I whispered back, and I meant it. I had never felt more ready. I mean it's not like this was my first time or anything. And it _definitely _wasn't my first time with Hyde, but that's another story entirely.

Hyde kissed my neck, and moved his way down to my collarbone, and then to my breasts. I moaned as Hyde sucked on my nipple, and I closed my eyes and concentrated all my energy on breathing in and out.

"What if someone saw us?" I whispered into the dark, my hair sticking to my forehead.

"Do you want to stop?" he asked, kissing my breasts.

"No," I moaned, and pressed my hand to my forehead, wiping the sweat off.

Hyde moved down from my breasts, and started kissing my stomach. He unbuttoned my shorts, and pulled them off, and his lips got nearer to my pink lace panties.

"Hyde...wait..." I whispered, my breathing getting heavier and heavier.

"Just relax, Sarah, don't be nervous," he replied, and pulled off my panties.

"Hyde," I gasped, squeezing my eyes shut, and clutching the side of the bed so hard that my knuckles turned white. "Hyde..."

Hyde leaned down and put his lips to my vagina. His tongue flickered out of his mouth and moved up and down. My legs squirmed and I whimpered and moaned.

"Hyde," I whimpered, and he began to suck on my vagina and I moaned, loudly. "Hyde...Oh My God! Hyde...Steven...never stop touching me, Steven. Oh God, yes. Please...that feels so good. Oh...OH."

I gasped and sighed in relaxation as my orgasm ended.

"How was that?" Hyde asked, moving his naked body up next to mine.

"Damn..." I murmurd, burying my face in his neck. He chuckled, softly. I sucked on his neck, and he wrapped his arms around my body, and thrust. I moaned, and found his mouth again, and pressed my lips to his.

I was lying underneath the covers in Hyde's bed with his head on my shoulder, snoring softly.

I wiped away my tears as I stared into the darkness. I was such a whore. First Derek, then Eric, now Hyde. I was just going through the whole gang. Before I knew it, I was gonna be doing it with Kelso and Fez, too.

_I'm worse than Laurie, _I thought, and my bottom lip trembled. _Don't cry, DON'T cry. Don't be a huge baby, Sarah. _I only wished that I could remember what had happened with Derek, or if anything had happened at all. I had had so much to drink that night that I couldn't remember anything. I remembered making out with Derek, and then waking up in Laurie's room.

But I would rather have that happen to me 100 times if I could just take my night with Eric back. It was one of the most thrilling nights of my life (besides tonight), but I felt like crying every time I looked at Donna. Hyde forgave me, but I knew Donna never would.

_I hate myself. I'm such a fucking slut. _I squeezed my eyes shut, and buried my face in Hyde's hair, trying to forget.


	17. Sleepover

_**Sleepover**_

**-I wanna be the GIRL you point to and say that's HER.-**

"Hey, how's the working life going?" I looked up and saw Hyde, Eric, Kelso, and Fez grinning, stupidly at me. I smirked and rolled my eyes.

Kitty had gotten me a job at the hospital as an intern to help pay off my rent to her and Red.

"Pretty good. I'm flattered that you care so much."

"Oh, actually we came down herebecause Kelso hurt himself again," Eric said and I laughed.

"What did you do this time?"

"I shut my hand in the basement door," Kelso muttered, and I laughed.

"Just go down there." I pointed and Kelso, Eric, and Fez followed the direction I pointed to. Only Hyde stayed behind.

"So, a doctor, huh?" he said, leaning over the counter and I giggled.

"No, I'm just an intern. But it's better than working at the Foto Hut!"

"Shut up. So, do you think I could come by the doctor's office later tonight?" I rolled my eyes and laughed.

"You are so lame."

"Is that a yes?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Cool. I'll see you later, I'm gonna go watch Kelso cry." I smiled.

"Alright. Later."

Hyde left, and I went back to work. But just as soon as I did, someone rapped their knuckles on the desk.

I looked up and saw a boy about my age with sandy blonde hair and brown eyes.

"Hi. Can I help you?" I asked.

"Yes. I was wondering if you could tell me the name of the new pretty intern." I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, please. I am _so _sick of lame pick-up lines."

"Good to know. I'm David, by the way. My dad's a doctor, and he got me a job here."

"As an intern?"I guessed, and he smirked.

"How'd you know?"

"Lucky guess?"

"So, what about you? How'd you get the job here?"

"Mrs. Forman got me a job here."

"Aah. You know, you never told me your name."

"No, I didn't, did I?"

"That _would _be a probelm, Sarah, if there wasn't a name tag on your desk." I laughed.

"OK. You got me there."

"So, how about you and me go out sometime? To a movie and dinner? How about it?" I frowned. It was tempting. But what about Hyde?

I sighed. "Sorry, but I can't. I just-sorta-"

"You have a boyfriend," David said.

"Well...sorta...not really, but...kinda."

"Oh, OK. I get it. If you ever change your mind, let me know."

"Umm...OK."

HYDE'S POV

I walked back into the lobby, laughing. Kelso had tripped over a cord and nearly gave himself a concussion, and I couldn't wait to tell Sarah.

"Hey, Sa-"I started, but stopped when I saw her laughing and talking with another intern. What the hell?


	18. Halloween

Top of Form 1

_**Halloween**_ Bottom of Form 1

**-LOVE COMES IN ALL COLORS-**

_First of all, this Halloween sucked. We couldn't go trick-or-treating or anything, for the obvious reasons: we're too old. We went to our old abandoned, burnt-out grammar school and we looked through our criminal records. We fought, and then made up. Jackie complained about Kelso._

_Nothing too special. Kinda' boring, if you ask me. But I guess it was sorta fun. Except Hyde would barely even look at me. What the hell? What did I do? UGHH. Halloween would have been soo much more fun if Hyde had TALKED to me!_

_This bites, man._

I was spacing out at the hospital when someone tapped me on the shoulder

"Wha-?" I said, snapping back into reality, expecting to see an irritated customer. Instead, I saw David.

"Oh, David. Hey. What's up?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to know if you had changed your mind about going out with me." I frowned. _What about Hyde? _I opened my mouth, about to say "no", but then thought, _Wait a second. _He _ignored _me! _What the hell, man! I'll go for it._

"Yeah, actually, I did," I said, smiling. "How about after work? At The Hub?"

David smiled. "Sounds like a plan." David left, and I stared ahead at the doors. What had I just done?

It was November 1st, which meant people were already throwing away their witches and monsters, and putting up their pilgrims and turkeys. After my shift ended, David drove me to The Hub, and bought me a cheeseburger.

I was about to cry. Seriously, my chest hurt. From laughing so hard. (Haha, I got you, didn't I?) David was so funny. And nice and cute.

Do I..._like _him? The way I only ever liked Hyde? And Eric, but that doesn't count. That was like, a one-night stand. OK...back to the point. Do I like David?

I felt my stomach drop when Eric, Donna, Jackie, Kelso, Fez, and Hyde walked in. I giggled to what David was saying, and pretended like I hadn't seen them come in. Pretended like I didn't notice that they were all staring at me.

"Hey...I have to get going. You want me to drive you home?" David asked, and I nodded.

"Yeah, sure." We got up and started towards the door.

"Where do you live?"

"With Mrs. Forman. Here, I'll give you directions." I could feel their eyes boring into my back, and I did my best not to throw up on the spot.

***HYDE'S POV***

We were all staring after Sarah and that douchey guy from the hospital. After they left, we all just stared at the door for a while until, one-by-one, they all looked at me. As if they expected me to _do _something.

"Hey, man...are you OK?" Eric asked, but I just scowled.

"What the hell, man?" I murmured, and Donna glared at me. What the fuck? Why was she taking _Sarah's _side on this?

"Come on, Hyde! She's been wanting you to ask her out for _forever_. God, can't guys take a hint?" Donna yelled, angrily, and got up and ran into the bathroom, Jackie following.

Wait...what?


	19. Vanstock

_**Vanstock**_

**-when you **_**smile, **_**i melt **_**inside**_**-**

I was in my room (or Laurie's room) doing my nails and reading a magazine (God, is that _all _I do these days?) when Donna appeared in the doorway.

"Hi, Sarah."

"Donna! Hey! Come on in,"I said, and she sat down on the edge of the bed. "What's up?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to know if you were gonna come to Vanstock with us?" I frowned. I think I remembered the guys talking about that a few days ago.

"Oh, yeah, sure. You wanna help me pack?"

"Sure!" I picked out what I wanted, and Donna put it into my suitcase, so I wouldn't mess up my nails. She's such a good friend. Haha.

"So, what's up with you and David?" she asked, packing away my clothes. "Are you guys like, going out now?" I frowned.

"I don't know..."

"Well, do you like him?"

"Yeah, I gue-" Then I realized what she was doing. "Uh-oh. Is Hyde mad?" Donna sighed.

"Yeah. He's pretty mad."

"Shit. Do you still think I should go to Vanstock with you guys?"

"Yeah. Yeah,I definitely think you should still go." I frowned. Did Donna know something that I didn't?

It was Vanstock day, and everyone was piling into Kelso's van. Eric and Donna with their conjoined sleeping bag, Fez going through everyone's stuff, and Kelso with...Laurie? Oh, that's right. Jackie's not going.

"HEY, EVERYBODY!" I turned and saw a small, raven-haired girl standing there with all her bags. HOLY SHIT! Was that...Jackie? HA! Sucks to be you, Kelso...

"Hey, Sarah. Can I help you with your bags?" I turned around and saw Fez.

"Oh! Yeah, thanks, Fezzy."

Hyde didn't talk to me the whole ride there. Donna keeps telling me that it's because he's too busy sabotaging Kelso's relationship with Laurie, but I'm not so sure.

_Man, this sucks. I knew I should have stayed home, _I thought, pouting and staring out the window.

"Hey, everybody! We're here!" Kelso said, and pulled the van up to Vanstock.

"ALRIGHT!" Eric and Fez yelled, and I smirked at them, rolling my eyes.

I didn't have anyone to hang out with the whole time. Eric and Donna were flirting the whole time, Jackie and Laurie gossiping, and Hyde torturing Kelso.

I was just hanging around in Kelso's van when the door opened and Jackie, Laurie, and Fez burst in, giggling.

"Oh! Sarah! I didn't know you were in here!" Jackie squealed. "Do you want to hang out wi-"

"Well, gee, Jackie, I just don't think there's room!" Laurie said, snottily, and I rolled my eyes.

"I'll just leave, it's fine."

"Ooh, great!" Laurie cried, clapping her hands together. I rolled my eyes and saw Eric and Donna talking in their sleeping bag, when Donna got up and stormed off. Oh no. What was it now?

I followed her into the woods, but by the time I got to the clearing, she was gone, and it was just me and Hyde.

"Oh. Hi, Hyde." He looked up at me.

"Hey, Sarah."

"Hi," I said again, not knowing what else to say.

"Do you want to sit?" Hyde asked, gesturing towards the seat next to him on the log by the campfire.

"Sure," I murmured and hesitantly sat down next to him. Why was he being so nice to me?

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I whispered, staring at the ground. "After David and everything...?" Hyde cut me off by pressing his lips to mine.

I was sorta caught off guard for a second there.

"Whaa-?"I said, frowning. What was going on?

"Look...Sarah, man...Donna told me that you only did what you did with David was because you wanted me to ask you out...or something like that. And I felt kinda stupid for being mad at you...but more cuz I didn't figure it out..."

"So...where does that leave us?"I asked, frowning, and Hyde slipped his ring (the one he wears on his pinky finger) into my hand.

"Do you want to...you know..." I raised my eyebrows at him and smirked.

"Be your girlfiend?"

"Yeah. That." I laughed.

"Yeah. Sure."


	20. Laurie Moves Out

_**Laurie Moves Out**_****

**-Whatever you say-Whatever you do-Whatever you think-I'll always love you!-**

**The first thing I did when we got home from Vanstock was tell Donna and Jackie that Hyde asked me out. Donna was thrilled for me, of course, but Jackie kept going on and on about me going out with a dirty poor guy.**

**But I just ignored her. I was too psyched to care about Jackie's snotty comments right now.**

**"But what are you gonna tell David?" Donna asked, and my heart sank.**

**"Oh, shit! I hadn't thought about that!" I moaned. I was so fucked.**

**"And I heard Laurie is moving out!" Jackie chirped, and I grinned.**

**"Yeah. I get the whole room to myself! Laurie said she's moving in with a friend or something."  
><strong> 

**"I heard that Red was really freaking out about it," Donna stated and I nodded.**

*******

**It was the next day and I was behind the counter at the hospital, my stomach in knots. I was really happy to be going out with Hyde, but terrified about telling David.**

**"Hey, beautiful." I nervously looked up at David and offered him a fake smile.**

**"Uhh...hi." He frowned at me.**

**"What's wrong?" I looked down at my hands, nervously.**

**"I have to tell you something."**

**"OK. Talk."**

**"I...there's no easy way to say this, but...I have a boyfriend."I looked up at him and saw how hurt he was.**

**"I'm sorry! I just-it all happened after we went out and-"**

**"You whore!" he yelled, angrily and I froze. "You used me, you ugly broad!"**

**"Hey...!" I started, balling my hands into fists.**

**"Fuck you! I hope you and your stoner boyfriend are happy together!" David snapped before storming off. I stared after him, mymouth hanging open.**

**He didn't take it well, but I guess I can't blame him, I thought, frowning. But the worst is over with. It'll be awkward at work, that's all. What else can he do?**

*******

**I stormed into Donna's room, angrily. She looked up from her diary as I flopped down on the bed.**

**"That little asshole!" I shouted, glaring up at the ceiling.**

**"What happened? Did Hyde do something?" Donna asked, worriedly, shoving her diary under her pillow.**

**"No, it's not Hyde. It's David! I told him about me and Hyde, and he got his fucking **_**Dad**_** to fire me!" Donna gasped.**

**"What a tool!"**

**"I know, right? Oh My God,I **_**hate**_** him! How could I have ever gone out with him?"**

**"Oh man, Sarah, what are you gonna tell Mrs. Forman?"**

**"The truth, I guess. But I'm sure she'll understand. But how am I gonna get another job? I still have to pay rent to the Forman's!" Donna sighed.**

**"I don't know, Sarah. I don't know."**

*****  
>I was sitting in my room, reading a book when Laurie came slinking in, dragging her suitcases.<strong>

**"Hey, Laurie,"I said, smirking and getting off her bed.**

**"Shut up!" she snapped and I smirked even wider.**

**"I heard what happened,"I said and she glared at me. "Eric pretty much told...everyone."**

**"So I guess you wanna rub it in my face, huh?"**

**"Actually, no. You might be the biggest bitch/whore I ever met, but it gets pretty lonely here without you. Surprisingly." Laurie grinned.**

**"Really?"**


	21. Kiss of Death

_**Kiss of Death**_

**-He completely dreams of her...and she completes him.-**

"Mrs. Forman, what am I gonna do?" I moaned as she put a PB&J sandwich in front of me. "I still have to pay rent here! How am I gonna get another job?"

"Well, honey, did you try just _talking_ to David? Maybe he'll understand," she suggested and I sighed.

"I don't know. Maybe. I just can't believe he did that!"

"He was upset! And what you did was no better."

"I know. It just makes me so mad that..." I trailed off. I didn't wanna say all the words I had in mind in front of Mrs. Forman. It would be awkward.

"I know, Sarah," she said, sighing. "But I still think you should just talk to him."

"OK. I'll _try _it. Thanks, Mrs. Forman."

I walked into the hospital and saw David sitting at the receptionist desk that used to be mine. Asshole.. I took a deep breath and walked up to him at the desk.

"Hey, uh David?" he looked up.

"Oh. It's you."

"Can we talk?" David glowered at me.

"I'm working."

"I know, but-"

"I _said _I'm working!" he snapped, and I frowned.

"David, I know it was a really bitchy thing for me to go out on a date with you and then start going out with Hyde, but I really don't think it was fair for you to get your dad to fire me! I know what I did was _awful, _but I really, really need this job! And I _also _think it was really babyish of you to get your dad to do your dirty work for you!" I blurted out, shocked by how fast that came out. It sounded like one big sentence.

For a second, David was quiet. Then he said, "What's done is done, Sarah. Maybe-when you're done being a bitch, or you break up with your stoner boyfriend-we can talk." I glared at him.

"You know what? FINE!" I yelled, and stomped out of the hospital. Well, _that_ didn't work.

Donna, Jackie, and I were all sitting on Donna's bed, filling each other in on what was happening in our lives.

"...so I asked Mrs. Forman what I should do, and she said that I should just go over there and _talk_ to David, so I did..." I trailed off.

"...and then Mr. Bonkers never came home last night! So I went out to ask Eric if _he_ had seen him..." Donna explained.

"...and then...and then...I saw Michael and Laurie in the kitchen...and then he _kissed her!_" Jackie moaned through her tears.

"...I went down to the hospital, right? And that fucker was at my old desk, so I did the _mature _thing and went up to talk to him..."

"...and I even _asked _Eric if he knew where Mr. Bonkers was and he said _no!_"

"...and so now me and Michael are _over! Forever! _How awful is that?"

"...so then that tool David basically said that he wouldn't give me my job back unless I dumped Hyde! Now what am I supposed to do? What a tool!"

"..._Eric ran over Mr. Bonkers and then tried to smooth it over by giving me a kitten! What a tool!_"

"...Michael just expects me to get back together with him...after all he's put me through...oh God, I still love him! What a tool!"

And then we all just stared at each other, after all of our rantings, me and Donna trembling with fury and Jackie shaking with tears. We just sat there and stared at each other, each completely convinced that _our_ situation was worse than the other two's.


	22. Hyde's Father

_**Hyde's Father**_

**- I REALIZED HOW MUCH I LOVED HIM WHEN I WAS LAYING IN BED LAST NIGHT, THINKING HE DIDN'T LOVE ME...-**

"You're moving in with _Bud?_" I cried, and Hyde nodded.  
>"Yeah, Sarah. He's my dad."<br>"I know that, but...he left you! How can you forgive him for that?" Hyde shrugged.  
>"I dunno. I guess I just feel like I have a chance to get to know him better. He's not like your dad, Sare, or I'm hoping he's not."<br>"Well...okay,"I said, sighing and biting my lip. "I guess I'm just gonna miss you, that's all. Not having you around all the time, I mean," Hyde smirked at me.  
>"Oh yeah? Why don't I give you something to rememver me by?"<br>"Ooh, please," I said and then leaned up to kiss him. "Just make sure you lock the door this time. I don't want Kitty to walk in on us _again! _That was horrifying."  
>"We're lucky she didn't tell Red."<p>

***

"Donna, can I tell you something?" I asked after she was done with her story of how she was pissed at Eric for having dirty magazines under his bed (quick flashback to when I was in his room and I was looking at his dirty magazines).  
>"Yeah, sure."<br>"Well, you know how Steven's getting to know his dad again?" I call him Steven now, by the way, now that we're dating. It just seemed to make more sense that way.  
>"Yeah."<br>"Well, I guess it just got me thinking...what if _my_ dad's not so bad after all?" Donna's eyes got wide and she stared at me.  
>"Sarah, <em>no! <em>You can't go anywhere _near_ that monster ever again! Don't you remember what he did to you? Why you had to come live here in the first place?" I sighed.  
>"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm just wondering if he's changed."<br>"He _hasn't, _Sarah! Just let it go! You're my best friend and I won't let anything bad happen to you!"  
>"Okay, fine. I won't confront him."<br>"You promise?"  
>"I promise."<p>

***

I promised Donna that I wouldn't confront my dad, but I never said anything about spying on him.  
>I just needed to see for myself that he hadn't changed. I just needed to <em>know. <em>Because honestly, I was a little nervous about being living at the Forman's with Eric _without_ Hyde. I know that sounds stupid, but I can't help it.  
>I peeked my head around the corner at the police station to try to find my dad. And sure enough, there he was.<br>I don't know what I expected to see. My father, the raging drunk, to be sitting at a desk doing paperwork with his dorky haircut and a picture of me and him and my mom sitting next to him? No, definitely not.  
>What I <em>saw <em>was my dad stumbling around in circles, flinging a beer bottle in his hand, and screaming-red-faced-at his boss.  
>And to tell you the truth, I wasn't surprised. His boss ended up screaming, "YOU'RE FIRED!" and my dad left in a tantrum of booze and tears.<br>I think I always knew my dad wouldn't change. I just wanted to remind myself why I was better off without him.


	23. Roller Disco

_**Roller Disco**_

-FIND ARMS THAT WILL HOLD YOU AT YOUR WEAKEST, EYES THAT WILL SEE YOU AT YOUR UGLIEST, AND A HEART THAT WILL LOVE YOU AT YOUR WORST. THEN YOU HAVE FOUND TRUE LOVE.-  
><strong><br>**I was hanging out in the basement with Hyde and we were watching TV.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, throwing an arm around my shoulder.

"I love you, too," I said, sarcastically.

"No, I mean, I thought you'd be at the roller disco with Donna and Kelso."

"Naah. I can hear all about it when Jackie tells me when she gets back with her 1st place trophy."

"So you think they're gonna win?"

"Yeah," I admitted. "Fez is an amazing dancer and Jackie's...well, Jackie."

"Yeah, I guess so," Hyde agreed and then looked around the basement. "Well, we're all alone..."

"Right," I said, grinning and turned to kiss him.

"SARAH!" Red called from upstairs. "Can you come up here fora minute?" I sighed.

"I'll be right back...maybe." I got up from the couch and ran upstairs, where Red and Eric were waiting for me.

"Sarah, you're way behind on your rent," Red informed me and I frowned.

"Umm...yeah. About that-"

"I got you a job at Pricemart with Eric and I. Grab your smock, we're going to work!" Red snapped and walked out to the Vista Cruiser.

"Welcome to hell," Eric said, smirking and holding out a smock.


	24. Fez Gets the Girl

_**Fez Gets the Girl**_

**-Don't STOP Loving-**

I was sweeping in the Pricemart stock room when I glanced up and saw Eric's face smiling down at me from the EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH poster. Haa. Good for him.

A door opened and I saw Caroline looking around the store. She was the new girl-she transferred from...Sacred Heart, I think it was? She was in gym with Fez and me. Fez was totally crushing on her.

"Hi, Caroline!"I called, waving at her from across the store and she smiled and waved back, and then turned her attention to something else in the store.

It was just a normal day, really.I got up, went to school, hung out in the basement for a while, and then went to work. Nothing special.

And later on, I would hang out in the basement som more and then Hyde and I would hang out, and then I would eat dinner and Hyde and I would do itand then I would go to bed.

Pretty normal. Boring at times and really fun at others. But mostly it was just normal.

***

"Jerk," Jackie spat. Hyde glared at her and returned with,

"Wench."

"Tool," Kelso replied.

"Dillhole," Hyde said.

"Moron," Jackie snapped.

"Moron," Kelso repeated.

"I already said moron," Jackie pointed out, rolling her eyes.

"Moron!" Kelso yelled.

I walked down the stairs, very confused. "What's going on here?" I asked, reaching for the plate of cookies that was on the table.

"Don't touch! Those are for Donna," Kelso said, slapping away my hand.

"For Donna-?" I started, confused but Hyde cut me off.

"Kelso, Donna doesn't want a bunch of dirty cookies."

"They're not dirty," Kelso replied, looking more confused than me. Hyde reached his foot back and then let it snap, sending the plate of cookies flying across the room.

"Hyde, you're dead!" Kelso yelled and leapt at my boyfriend.

"What the hell, you guys?" I cried. "Why are you guys fighting?"

"Ask Donna!" Jackie spat and I frowned.

Going to school.

Check.

Going to Pricemart.

Check.

My friends being weird.

Check.

Yepp. Definitely a normal day.


	25. Hyde's Christmas Rager

_**Hyde's Christmas Rager**_

**-You make my heart skip a beat.-  
><strong>  
>The whole gang was standing in Hyde's dad's apartment.<p>

"All right, Hyde! Your dad's apartment is the perfect place for a party. It's already trashed," Eric said.

"Hey, even if only half the people we invited show up, this party's gonna rock!" Kelso cried.

"Did you find the cups?" Jackie asked him.

"Nope. Even better. A plastic tube and a funnel."

"All this and a dirty funnel? Merry Christmas to me," Fez said.

"You guys, a funnel? Do you know how many people's mouths are gonna be on that thing? That's _disgusting!_" I cried.

"But we don't even have to worry about germs because even though our spit backs up in the tube, the alcohol kills 'em," Kelso argued and I wrinkled up my nose in disgust.

"We're leaving," Donna said and I nodded.

"So leaving," Jackie agreed.

"Bye, babe," I said and gave Hyde a kiss beforeI turned to leave with Donna and Jackie.

"Wait. You're leaving?" Eric asked.

Yeah, see...when I was a little girl, I made a promise to myself. Self, I said, if you're ever about to suck beer out of a funnel that might give you mono, don't. So bye-bye," Donna said and the three of us left.

"They are _so_ gross!" Jackie moaned. "So gross that it's...wrong!"

***

"Ooh. Listen to this. 'Corner Him Under the Mistletoe: 8 Ways to Trick a Guy Into a Relationship.' I love the holidays," Jackie said, flipping through a magazine. The three of us were sitting on the Forman's couch.

"Yeah. Hanging your stockings, putting cookies out for Santa, setting a man trap. Mmm, Christmas," Donna mocked and I snickered.

"Santa should hand his job right over to you," I said. "You're the merriest of all."

"This will be my first Christmas without a boyfriend, you know," Jackie said.

"And Jesus wept," Donna said.

"So here's my new plan for the year: but some really cute tops, fly to Hollywood and marry Lee Majors. Make fun of that. I _dare_ you!" Jackie cried.

"Jackie, there are so many ways to make fun of that , I don't even know where to start. It's like choosing your favorite jelly bean," Donna said.

"Really, Jackie."

"Be nice to me, you guys! I'm lonely. I mean, okay, if there was mistletoe hanging over me right now, who would kiss me? No one, that's who."

"I would,"I said and Donna and Jackie stared at me.

"I didn't mean it _that_ way, God!"

***

I was up in the room that Laurie and I shared, reading a book. Jackie had dragged Donna to some bar to meet men. She tried to get me to go, too, but I pretty much said 'no freakin way.'

Here comes Laurie.

"Brat. Get out," she snapped and I looked up to see a guy standing next to her.

"This is my room, too, you know," I argued.

"Well, make yourself scarce or I'll just have to let it slip to Donna what I caught you and my little brother doing in my bed that time!" she sneered and my eyes widened.

"Okay!" I cried and bolted.

That was going to be on my conscience forever. And Laurie would make damn sure that it did.


	26. Donna's Panties

_**Donna's Panties**_

**-YOU GIVE ME BUTTERFLIES-**

"Sarah, Laurie cheated on Michael. Isn't that _wonderful?_" Jackie cried, cheerfully, clapping her hands together. We were sitting in the Pinciotti's kitchen while Donna was having a Valentine's Day dinner over at the Forman's.

"Why is that wonderful?" I asked, eating a chocolate. "It's Valentine's Day. That's not wonderful, that's sad."

"No, it _is_ wonderful, because it's payback for all the times he cheated on me! God, Sarah, who's side are you _on?_"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know Kelso getting cheated on had some secret meaning. Geez."

"Hey, speaking of Valentine's Day, why aren't you spending it with Hyde?"

"Steven? He's not much of a romantic. We're probably just gonna have hot Valentine's Day sex. Speaking of hot Valentine's Day sex...I should probably get over there."

***

"No. Way," I said, gasping as I walked in the basement. I had expected Kelso or Fez and Caroline, or _someone_ to be down there, but there was no one. Just me and Hyde.

He put rose petals on the couch and candles on the coffee table and TV.

"I can't cook, so..." he murmured, looking down at his boots.

"Oh My God, Steven, it's so _beautiful!_" I cried, and for a moment I felt like Jackie, but I didn't really care. i was so impressed, and I loved him so much. "Thank you, I love you."

"I love you, too," he replid and kissed me before we sank onto the couch, deeply involved in making out with each other and probably going much farther.

Hyde tugged at my jeans and I suddenly remembered the first time that Hyde and I had had sex:

_I wiped my eyes asI ran up the steps to Hyde's house across the street. This wasn't right. I was only thirteen-years-old and had been raped by my father so many times that I lost count._

_I pounded on the door and stood in the freezing cold, trembling. _Hyde, please be home, _I thought. _I need you.

_The door creaked open and Hyde wiped his eyes and then shoved his famous sunglasses onto his nose. "Sarah? What are you doing here?"_

_"I need to talk to you," I said. "Is Edna home?"_

_"No. What's wrong?"_

_"My dad. He...he did it to me again," I sobbed and Hyde clenched his jaw._

_"Do you want to come in?" he asked and I nodded, and stepped inside. As soon as I did, I launched myself into his arms and sobbed into his chest._

_"I hate him. How could he do this to me? He stole my virginity, and-and-" I couldn't get any more words out._

_"Yeah," Hyde whispered and I shook my head._

_"No, you don't know what it's like...to be raped-"_

_"Yeah, I do," he blurted out._

_"What? Did...Bud...?" I guessed, and he looked away._

_"Is there something wrong with us?" I asked. "I mean, why don't Eric's parents do that to him? Or Jackie's? Why just us? Did we do something wrong?"_

_"No," he replied._

_"But-"_

_"There's nothing wrong with you, Sarah. It's your jackass dad, that's all." I looked up at him and then he was kissing me and kissing me and I was surprised at how much I liked it, no, loved it._

_If it was Kelso or Eric, I would have pushed them away and yelled, "Eww!" because I thought of them as friends, nothing more, but this was Hyde and I was in love with him, just like I had been since I met him when we were 5._

_And then he was carrying me upstairs and then we were in his bed. I was kissing his neck and he was stroking my hair, and it was the most beautiful, magical moment of my life._

_I know you're probably thinking that we were too young, but we were thirteen and had both been raped. So sex didn't seem like that much of a big deal._

_But the _really_ weird part was that we didn't follow it up. We had sex, but acted totally normal the next day. We made love, and didn't get together until 3 years later. How weird is that?_


	27. Radio Daze

_**Radio Daze**_

_**-To **_**love **_**is to catch a small glimpse of **_**heaven.**_**-  
><strong>_**  
><strong>"Leo gave you a _car?_" I cried, grinning, running my hand over the hood of the car.

"Hell yeah!" Hyde said, smirking and jingled the keys in his pocket. "Wanna go for a ride?"

"Do you even haveto ask?" I asked and hopped in the passenger seat. Hyde started it up and backed out of the Forman's driveway.

"This is so cool," I said. "Eric has a car so Donna can get him to drive her places, and even _Kelso_ had the van while he and Jackie were dating. You can take me places now." I grinned.

"Yeah. I mean, it's no Vista Cruiser but it's better than Kelso's shitty van."

"Totally. And we can have car sex without having to steal Eric's keys," I said and we both laughed.


	28. The Trials of Michael Kelso

_**The Trials of Michael Kelso**_

_-i think i'm fallin asleep but then all that means is i'll always be dreaming of you.-_****

I walked into The Hub and saw Donna and Jackie talking.

"Okay. I want to see if Michael is ready to be in a healthy, adult relationship so I've come up with five psychological tests," Jackie explained.

"Damn, Jackie. He can't even spell psychological," Donna cried and I sat down next to them.

"So it's true," I said. "You and Kelso are getting back together?"

"No, not yet. First I have to test him. He only has to get three out of the five correct and the first test is on maturity," Jackie replied, and Kelso came running up to us.

"Oh man! So we're trying to get the paint off Fez's butt, right? So I started spraying lighter fluid on it and Fez gets all mad, right? And then he started chasing me, but he had his pants around his ankles so then he tripped and fell. And I think he hurt himself, but I don't know, cuz I was like, outta there!" Kelso cried. "So what's going on with you guys?"

I giggled. "You sprayed lighter fluid on Fez's ass?"

"Yeah!" Kelso yelled, grinning.

"Sarah! Focus!" Jackie snapped and then turned to Kelso. "Sarah, Donna, and I were discussing our careers. I'm going to high-end cosmetics and Donna thinks she'll make great lumberjack-"

"Stop telling everybody that!" Donna interrupted.

"-and Sarah wants to be a factory worker, because, well, she's poor." I rolled my eyes. "So what kind of career do you see yourself in?"

"Okay, well, I was considering becoming a doctor," Kelso answered and Jackie looked extremely impressed.

"Ooh, a doctor? That's so mature!"

"Or...a rodeo clown!" Kelso cried.

The look on Jackie's face was priceless. Donna and I had to suppress our giggles. "A rodeo clown? You want to be a rodeo clown? Why?"

"Rodeo clowns are the unsung heroes of the New West. And you know I've always enjoyed being inside of barrels."

I slapped a hand over my hand to keep myself from laughing out loud. "I have to go..." I said, giggling. Jackie was gonna be pissed if I started to laugh and I didn't feel like dealing with Jackie being mad at me all week.

***

I was in the Forman basement with Donna, and Jackie and Kelso, who were now back together. It had been a long day.

"What the hell happened to you guys?" Donna asked Eric, Fez, and Hyde, who came in looking beat up, and their clothes torn apart.

"We got beaten up," Eric replied.

"By who?" I cried.

"By men," Hyde answered.

"By big, strong men," Eric added.

"Hey, guys, as I was getting beaten, I think I got to second base," Fez said.


	29. Canadian Road Trip

_**Canadian Road Trip**_

**-lovin' the most SPECIAL boy in the world.-**  
><strong><br>**  
>"...and so now Jackie won't even talk to me and she's gonna fork over thousands of dollars to this scam of a company!" Donna complained to me over the phone. I was lying in my room, staring at the ceiling.<p>

Donna had her crisis with Jackie and Hyde was off in Canada with the guys trying to get beer. And what was I doing? Lying on my cot like a lump. I just didn't feel like doing much of anything anymore.

"Uh-huh," I murmured into the phone, only half-listening to what she was saying.

"So...what do you think I should do?" Donna asked. Oh crap, now she was asking for advice.

"Umm...this is a modeling agency, right? Just tell them you wanna be a model. In Jackie's eyes, you could never be a model," I said and Donna gasped.

"Sarah, that's brilliant! Thank you so much!" And then there was a click as she hung up the phone. I sighed and put it down and then went back to staring at the ceiling.

"Oh, Sarah, honey! You're still here! I thought you would be off with Donna or Steven!" Kitty cried, passing my room and I shook my head. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just bored," I said and she walked into the room.

"Do you want to...make cookies or something?" I giggled at her trying to be suttle.

"Sure."

Mrs. Forman and I were sitting at the kitchen table, eating some of the cookies we just made.

"I still don't know if we should be doing this. There won't be enough for all the boys," she admitted.

"We made them! I think we deserve to have some!" I argued."and there will to be enough for all the boys, they just won't get to have 6 each this time." Kitty still looked reluctant. "Come ON, Mrs. Forman, you deserve this! Let yourself have something for once!"

She smiled and nodded. "You're right, Sarah!"

"OOH, COOKIES!" Kelso cried, running in the kitchen with Hyde, Eric, and Fez behind him.

"Hey, guys. How was Cana-the Hub?" I asked, saving myself.

"Good," Eric replied as they all reached for cookies.

"Did you get the...fries that you wanted?" I asked, and Hyde shook his head.

"They were all out."

"All out of fries at The Hub? There's just no way!" Kitty cried.

"Yeah, uhh...we were really upset," Kelso said. I was surprised that he caught on.

"Well, that's a bummer," I replied. I was sort of looking forward to Canadian beer.

*LATER THAT NIGHT*

"Sarah, are you awake?" I moaned and opened my eyes to see Hyde crouching over my cot.

"Steven? What is it?"

"Come on," he whispered and he led me to the driveway, where the El Camino was parked. "We didn't get Canadian beer but today might not be a total waste."

"What are you talking about?" I whispered back.

"I got some beer and everyone is asleep..."

"Sex and american beer is good enough for me," I said, grinning as we got in the El Camino.


	30. The Promise Ring

_**The Promise Ring**_

_**~NOTHING SEEMS SO BEAUTIFUL SINCE I SAW HEAVEN'S SKIES IN YOUR EYES.~**_

"Eric and Donna broke up?" I whispered, breathless. I was sitting in Hyde's tiny room in the basement, in the dark. Apparently Hyde had just found out.

"Yeah. They had a fight over that promise ring that he got her and then Eric dumped her," Hyde whispered back. It was weird, because earlier that day, I had been venting to Donna about how I was the only girl that didn't get a promise ring. I mean, didn't Hyde want to be with me forever? But now that I thought about it, Donna _had_ been acting a little weird...

"Oh My God. This is just...terrible. They were so good together. Donna's gonna be heartbroken," I said. I knew that tomorrow I was gonna have to spend all day with a depressed and lovesick Donna, a shade that I had only seen on Jackie, and hoped to death no one ever saw on me.

"And Forman's gonna be bumming around for about a month," Hyde grumbled and I smacked him.

"Be nice to him! Don't make fun of him, I mean it!"

"Okay, fine, I'll be nice."

"If you're not, so help me _God-_"

He cut me off. "Okay, okay, I'll be nice! Damn."

We were quiet for a little while until I spoke up. "It's weird...I mean, we've comforted Kelso and Jackie when they broke up and now we're gonna have to comfort Eric and Donna. Maybe one of these days, they'll be comforting _us_ if we break up." I shot him a grin, but then we were both serious. What if they _were_ going to have to comfort us if/when we broke up?


	31. Eric's Depression

_**Eric's Depression**_

__**One**_** chance, **_**two**_** hearts, **_**three**_** words.~**_

"Come on, Donna, come to "Fun Land" with me and the gang," I said, trying to convince the redhead to get out of bed. She was lying in bed in her dark room while I sat on the edge of the bed. The rest of the gang was trying to get Eric to come.

"No thanks," she murmured. "Go without me."

"That's the _point,_ man! We don't _wanna_ go without you!" I moaned, shaking her but she just groaned and threw the covers over her head.

"Just go, Sarah," she said, the covers muffling her voice.

"But I don't wanna be left alone with Jackie! Don't put me through that, Big D!" I joked, trying to get her to laugh, but she was silent. "Alright, fine." I threw the covers off her and scooched up closer to her. "If you're not going, then neither am I."

"Go have a good time," she encouraged, angrily but I just crossed my arms over my chest and shook my head.

"Nope. We're a team. If you stay, I stay."

"Fine!" she snapped and rolled over. We were quiet for a really long time. I counted random things around her room to pass the time before sighing and asking,

"What happened?"

"I don't wanna talk about it," she muttered.

"Would you rather I hear it from Eric? He's probably gonna twist it around to make you look bad," I said and she turned around to glare at me.

"I gave the promise ring back, okay? I love Eric but there's so much that I want to do after high school. I just didn't want to be tied down, that's all. Not yet. And Eric took it the wrong way, and he broke up with me," she explained.

"Oh. I'm..._so_ sorry, Donna...I can't even imagine what that must feel like," I whispered. I really couldn't. Kelso, Eric, Jackie, and Donna all knew what it was like to have your heart broken, and I didn't. I didn't wanna know, and I was terrified to find out.


	32. The Relapse

_**The Relapse**_

**~CRAZY about him~**

I was sitting in my bedroom when the phone rang. I didn't dare pick it up because the last time I did, it was for Red and he got mad at me.

"Sarah! It's for you!" Red called up the stairs and I called back,

"Okay!" before quickly picking up the phone. "Hello?"

"Sarah, it's Donna."

"Oh hey, Donna. How are you holding up?" I asked. She had just told me about how Midge split on her and Bob. I had always liked Midge, but she was now on my grudge list forever-leaving your family is unforgiveable. I would never forgive Midge and wouldn't be surprised if Donna didn't, either. Just like I could never forgive my mom for splitting on me.

And to have her mom splitting on her so soon after Eric dumped her? I felt so bad for Donna...

"Bad. I-please don't be mad at me, Sarah," she begged.

"Why would I be mad?" I asked.

"Because...I sorta slept with Eric," she admitted.

"Oh My God! That's _great!_ I'm so glad you two worked things out, I mean, you and Eric were so _cute_ together-"

"Sarah..._Sarah._ We...didn't get back together."

"Huh? But I thought you said you slept with him. Ooh...was he not good?" I asked, rambling. "Cuz I remember he wasn't that good when _I_ slept with him-" I stopped, and froze. What had I just done?

"Umm...what? Did you just say when _you_ slept with Eric? When did you sleep with Eric?" Donna snapped, angrily and I could feel my insides starting to freeze from the inside out. _That was supposed to be a secret. The past, done and over with. Donna was never supposed to find out._

"Donna, it's really not a big deal-"

"WHEN DID YOU SLEEP WITH ERIC?" Donna yelled, and I gulped.

"Once, a few days after I moved in with the Forman's," I blurted out and squeezed my eyes shut. What if this was the end of my friendship with Donna? I swallowed the lump in my throat and tears started to spill over as she started to yell. _Donna is my best friend..._


	33. Donna Dates a Kelso

_**Donna Dates a Kelso**_

**~Girl: "Wanna know a secret?" Guy: "Sure." Girl: "I love you." Guy: "Here's another secret; I love you, too." I wish...~**

I was curled up on my bed, my shoulders hunched while tears streamed down my face. Donna hated me now, and she hated Eric now, too. _And_ she was mad at Hyde for not telling her, and she made Jackie mad at me, too because Jackie knew what it felt like to be cheated on. The only people who weren't mad at me were Fez and Kelso, who suddenly thought I was extremely hot...for some reason.

"Hey...what's the matter?" I uncovered my eyes and lifted my tear-stained face to see Hyde standing in the doorway.

"You know what's the matter," I sobbed. "Donna hates me and Jackie hates me and Eric hates me...and _you_ hate me." Hyde sat down next to me and hugged me close.

"I don't hate you, Sarah. Yeah, I still get pissed when I think about you sleeping with Eric, but it happened and I'm over it...mostly. Eric and Jackie will get over it and...and Donna's your best friend, so she has to forgive you," he said, kindly.

"Did you know that she's going out with Casey Kelso to try to get over Eric? And she let Jackie set her up with a date because she's trying to use Jackie to get over me," I admitted, still crying as hard as ever.

"Listen, man, I know Donna and she'll forgive you."

"No, she won't," I argued, pulling away and rubbing my eyes. "Because girls don't act like themselves when it comes to things like this. I'm her _best friend_ and I slept with her boyfriend while they were still together, and she will _never_ ever forgive me. I know that because..." I took a deep breath. "if she ever slept with you, I don't know if _I_ could forgive her."

"Her and Eric are over with, and they're moving on. She'll forgive you." Hyde seemed pretty sure, and I pretended like I believed him, but I wasn't fully convinced.

"Let me know how her date with Casey goes, okay?" I asked with a small smile and he nodded.

"Will do. And trust me, man, this is _Casey Kelso._ The date will be a disaster and Jackie will just yell at her for blowing her chance to marry a Kelso, so she'll _have_ to turn to you."

"I hope you're right," I said.


	34. Jackie's Cheese Squeeze

_**Jackie's Cheese Squeeze**_

**~i want to spend forever in your arms.~**

I was sitting, by myself, in the basement when Eric came bursting through the door. His face fell, slightly, at the sight of me. I could tell he was still mad at me for telling Donna about what we did.

"Hi, Eric," I said.

"Listen, Sarah, I know I'm supposed to be mad at you, but I'm just gonna forget everything that happened," he replied and sat down, next to me on the couch.

"Oh My God, really?" I asked, grinning, happily.

"Yes. Because I have something to tell you."

"Okay, what?"

"I was walking through the mall today and I caught Jackie...wait for it...making out with the guy from the cheese shop!" he cried and I gasped.

"No way!" I yelled.

"Yeah! With tongue! But you're the only one I told, so don't say a word to anyone, okay?" Eric asked.

I nodded. "I won't tell anyone," I promised.

"Good, 'cause I knew I could count on you."

"You definitely can."

*LATER*

"I can't believe Forman did that," Hyde grumbled. We were both sitting on his cot, in his room. We had just recently found out that I wasn't the only one he told Jackie. He also told Hyde...and Donna...and Fez. And he each told us we were the only one he told. What a tool! Why would he do that?

"I know, right? What a dillhole," I agreed. "And I still can't believe that Jackie cheated on Kelso. That's totally not cool."

Hyde turned to look at me. "Why? Kelso has cheated on her _plenty_ of times."

"Yeah, I know, but that doesn't mean she can go make out with a bunch of other guys to get back at him."

"Why not?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Because it doesn't _work_ that way! Not when you're in a committed relationship!"

"But," Hyde argued. "if Kelso slept with tons of other guys, why does a stupid kiss matter?"

"It doesn't matter if it was just a stupid kiss, you can't just sleep with someone or kiss someone else for get back at someone for cheating on you!" My voice was rising and so was Hyde's. Were we getting into our first fight? "You can't just go sleep with someone else to get back at me for sleeping with Eric and expect everything to be okay. It doesn't work that way!"

"Not unless the cheaters are cheating whores that can't control themselves!" Hyde snapped and I gasped.

"Okay, something tells me we're not talking about Kelso anymore!" I shouted. "When are you gonna quit throwing that in my face?"

"As soon as you go back in time and unsleep with Forman!" Hyde yelled, and I could hear the Forman's calling down the stairs to see what was the matter.

"You know what, Hyde? I already apologized and I don't know what else to do! And you _claimed_ that you forgave me but you obviously didn't if you keep throwing it in my face!" I screamed and stomped out the door.

Everything was falling apart...


	35. Hyde's Birthday

_**Hyde's Birthday**_

**~love isn't what you see or hear...it's what you feel.~**

"Come on, Sarah. It's his birthday. You can't be mad at Hyde on his birthday," Jackie convinced me. She wasn't mad at me anymore, mostly because it didn't involve her, but Donna still wasn't speaking to me. "and I _really_ want you to see the decorations Fez and I put up in the Pinciotti's living room."

I sighed. "Fine. But his birthday is _today_ and I didn't get him anything. What the hell am I supposed to do?"

"Your present can be finally having sex with him after a week, when you guys have been fighting the whole time!" Jackie cried, and I rolled my eyes.

"Jackie, that's so-" I stopped. "Oh My God, that's good. Yeah, yeah, I can do that!" I said, grinning and we both ran over next door. Hyde was sitting on the couch, wearing a maroon sweatshirt with STEVEN written across the front.

"Uhh...nice sweatshirt," I said, awkwardly, as I sat down next to him.

"So you're talking to me now?" he asked.

"Yeah. I mean, it's your birthday. So I thought I could say I was sorry as your present," I said, slowly scooting over to him.

"That's the lamest present I've ever heard," he snapped, angrily and I rolled my eyes and grabbed his hand.

"No, I mean...if we're not fighting anymore then that means we get to do what we do when we make up," I explained and Hyde grinned.

"Okay, everyone, uh...this has been really great, but Sarah and I have to get going," Hyde called as we stood up and started towards the door.

"But _Steven,_ where are you going?" Mrs. Forman moaned. "It's your birthday party, what could be more important?"

"BIRTHDAY SEX!" I screamed and we ran out the door.


	36. Everybody Loves Casey

_**Everybody Loves Casey**_

**~He is my Romeo.~**

I was standing in the middle of the Forman's driveway while they were having their barbecue, arguing with Hyde. Again. It seemed like all we did was fight, just like Eric and Donna did before _they_ broke up. And I _really_ didn't want to end up like them.

"God, what the hell is your _problem?_" Hyde cried, angrily and I threw my hot dog on the floor.

"I don't wanna fucking look at you right now!" I snapped and turned on my heel.

"Good! Same here!" he called after me and I flipped him off over my shoulder before stomping away. I was about to leave the Forman property when I ran into Casey and Donna.

"Donna," I said, uneasily and she smiled at me.

"Hey, Sarah. What's up?"

"Are you-you're not mad anymore?" I asked, dumbfounded and Donna smiled and shook her head.

"Nah. I mean, I had a _long _time to think about it, and-while what you did was horrible-I don't want to lose my best friend over an _ex-_boyfriend." She glanced at Casey when she said 'ex-boyfriend'. "And it's not like I was perfect in our relationship, either. I kissed Fez when I was pretending to be his girlfriend.

"If you think about it, Eric and I were just as bad as Kelso and Jackie, and I really don't think that he and I are going to get back together."

I just stared at Donna, and then looked at Casey, who had his arm thrown around her shoulder. _He doesn't love her,_ I thought, numbly. _Not like she loves him. _Eric _loves her. Can't she see that?_

"That's-that's so great that you forgive me, D. But...can I talk to you alone for a minute?" I asked.

"Sure," Donna replied and gave Casey a quick kiss before I led her to her front yard.

"Donna...you don't _really_ think that you and Eric are never going to get back together, do you?" I asked.

"Uhh...yeah, I do. I mean, we cheated on each other. We're just like-"

"_No!_" I cut her off. "You're _not _like Kelso and Jackie! What you and Eric had...and what me and Hyde have, that's real. Kelso and Jackie will never last, just like you and Casey will never last." Donna looked shocked and then hurt and then pissed in a matter of seconds.

"Hey, hold on a second, Sarah. You don't know that me and Casey will never last!" she cried, angrily and I sighed.

"Yes, I do! He's _Casey Kelso._ Do you remember when we were fourteen and you, me, Eric, and Hyde all went back to Kelso's house to get popsicles and Casey was there with his girlfriend? And you were all disgusted and said, 'What kind of girl with a low self-esteem would ever go out with _Casey?_ Doesn't she know he's just using her?'. Well, that girl is _you_ now, Donna!"

"Casey's _different_-"

"No, he really isn't, Donna," I interrupted again. "Eric was _drunk_ when he and I slept together. And anything you did with Fez doesn't count... You two are nothing like Kelso and Jackie, and if you guys got back together, you could really last. I don't care if you get mad at me for this...but don't rule out any chances of you and Eric getting back together because of _Casey Kelso._"

_That_ was when I actually left.


	37. Love, Wisconsin Style

_**Love Wisconsin Syle**_

**~L.O.V.E.~**

Everything happened so fast. Hyde and I were fighting, loud, angry words spinning around like a whirlwind, on the verge of breaking up when Eric came trudging home from the Pinciotti's, looking defeated and upset.

"Donna ran away to California," he muttered. "And it's all my fault."

And at that exact second, Jackie came bursting through the screen door, sobbing because she had just received a call from Kelso, who had also run away to California to keep from marrying her.

Then Hyde and I weren't fighting anymore. We were too busy comforting our friends to even think about being mad. I don't think we even remembered why we were fighting a mere seven seconds ago.

"...oh, Sarah, what will I do?" Jackie sobbed on my shoulder. "I love him so much. I wanted to marry him."

"Kelso isn't the marriage kind of guy," I reassured her. "Maybe this is fate telling you that you two weren't meant to be."

"This isn't _fate,_ Sarah!" she cried. "This is Michael being too much of a coward to marry me, so he ran off to California with Donna!"

"Donna ran off with Kelso?" Eric asked, dumbfounded. "As in...they're together now?"

I shook my head, vigorously. "Donna would never date Kelso. What happened with her, anyway? I thought she was still dating Casey."

Eric quickly explained how Casey broke up with her and then tried to get back together with him, but he didn't want to be her second choice, so he said no and now she was gone.

Jackie was sobbing on my shoulder and Hyde had his hand on Eric's shoulder, telling him that it wasn't his fault. Then Fez came in the kitchen, asking what was wrong and I silently cursed Kelso and Donna for being too chicken to face their problems.

They ran away from everything, not caring about the consequences, not caring about who they would hurt. I looked around. And most importantly, not caring about the wreck they would leave behind.


	38. Going to California

_**Going to California**_

**Do you know how hard it is to say. "Oh no, we're just friends," when I really just want to scream, "I love you!"?  
><strong> 

"I never want to see Michael's stupid face ever again!" Jackie snarled, her manicured fingers curling around the many angry letters that she had wrote to Kelso but never sent.

The only letter that she actually sent to him was one that I helped her write around mid-July. It was now around the end of August and my senior year was approaching. I had spent the entire summer comforting Eric and Jackie (especially Jackie), fighting and then "making up" with Hyde and having Fez hit on me. Fun.

I was secretly worried about my relationship with Hyde, but Donna was in California and Jackie was waaaay too depressed over Kelso to help me with _my_ relationship problems.

Sophomore year had been good for me and Hyde, with lots of fooling around and happiness and being in love. Junior year was _really_ rocky with all the drama and all the fighting. Especially all the fighting. How would senior year turn out for me and Hyde?

"...God, he is _such_ a loser! And dumb, too! A _total_ dufus! How could I have ever wasted so much time on him?" Jackie ranted, angirly.

"I don't know," I replied. "but you're gonna have to see Kelso soon cuz Eric went to California to get Donna, so Kelso's probably coming back, too."

"Eric went _all_ the way to California just to bring Donna back?" Jackie cried. "That is _so_ cute! Stupid Michael never would have done that for me. Boy, am I really gonna let him have it when he gets back!"

"Listen, Jackie...before Kelso _does_ get back, are you sure you're over him? Because I don't want to see you go back to him and then get hurt again," I said.

"Oh, don't worry, Sarah, I am _so_ over that moron! I'm never going to let him or anyon else hurt me like that again." I let out a sigh of relief.

"Good."

Because Jackie had been devestated when Kelso ran away to California. For a long time I had thought that he had finally broken her. But she pulled through and was fine now...as far as I knew.

The phone rang and Jackie picked it up. "Hello?" She paused and then handed it to me. "It's Hyde." I took the phone and held it up to my ear.

"Steven?"

"Sarah! Kelso and Donna are back from California," he explained.

"They _are?_" I cried, excitedly.

"What's going on?" Jackie whispered repeatedly, poking me in the arm.

"Yeah, they just got back. Eric brought 'em home."

"We'll be right there!" I said and hung up the phone. "Kelso and Donna are back from California."

"No way! Really?"

"Yeah!"

We rushed downstairs and borrowed her dad's Lincoln to speed all the way to the Forman's. We almost got a speeding ticket. And sure enough, Kelso's van was in the driveway. I came barreling out of the car and hugged Donna, tightly.

"You're back! You have to tell me all about California! Is it amazing? How's your mom? Are you and Eric back together?" She grinned at me.

"California was awesome, but it got boring after a while. My mom's fine and yes," Donna shot a smile at Eric. "we _are_ back together."

"You have to tell me _everything_ later!" I murmured and then hugged Kelso while Jackie talked to Donna.

**Seasons 5-7 are gonna be hard for me to write, since there's no Hyde/Jackie in this story, so I might have to change some things.**

**Love, Rachel**


	39. I Can't Quit You Babe

_**I Can't Quit You Babe**_

**~Somewhere between all our laughs, long talks, stupid little fights, and all our jokes, I fell in love.~**

"I missed you _so _fucking much, man," I admitted. Donna and I were sitting on her bed, flipping through magazines and pictures she took of her and Kelso (and some girl named Annette) in California.

"I missed you too, Sarah. I missed having my best friend to talk to."

"Same here. Jackie _is_ my other best friend, but she's not you, ya' know? So," I turned to face her. "how exactly did you and Eric get back together? The last time I talked to you, you were telling me that there was about a 2% chance of you two ever getting back together."

"Well, what you told me about Eric being drunk when you guys..._you know_ helped a lot. I know that he loves _me_ and that he'll never cheat on me again. If he does, there's really _no_ chance for us," Donna explained and I nodded.

"I can understand that. Damn, I am _so_ happy that you and Eric are together again! Everything just seemed so...wrong when you were with Casey," I said.

"Yeah. Casey was a dirtbag, anyway. You were right about him all along."

"Of course I was."

"Don't push it," Donna replied. "So, what's been going on with you and Hyde?"

I shrugged, trying to seem casual, but the truth was, I had _so much_ to tell her. "I don't know, I mean, we're still together and I still love him but we fight _all_ the time. Sometimes I'm just...afraid for us."

"I know what you mean," Donna agreed. "I used to feel like that when Eric and I were fighting a lot. It sucks, doesn't it?"

I nodded, sadly. "Sometimes...I just wish that we could be like we were when we first started dating or even _before_ that; when we were just fooling around. Because back then we were fucking _happy_. Now we're just making each other miserable all the time and it's awful."

"You should tell him that," Donna replied and I was shocked. I had never really considered telling Hyde all of my concerns about our relationship.

"Yeah," I said, slowly. "yeah, okay. It's worth a shot."

"Oh yeah," Donna grumbled. "Did I tell you? As a punishment for running away, my dad's making me go to Catholic school now."

"_What?_" I cried. "Nooo! Bob can't _do this_ to me! Who am I gonna talk to in school now?"

Donna laughed. "Relax, Sarah! You have Jackie and the guys."

"Yeah, but Jackie's a year younger than us, so I won't hardly _see_ her! And the guys will be too wrapped up with their guyishness to pay attention to me! Who am I gonna hang out with in gym now? WHY DOES BOB HATE ME?"

At my outburst, Donna cracked up, rolling around on the bed and clutching her stomach.

"It's not fuuuuuunny!" I moaned, but that only made her laugh harder. 


	40. Ramble On

_**Ramble On**_

**~Love isn't finding a perfect person. It's seeing an imperfect person perfectly.~**

I was lying next to Hyde, naked, in his cot/bed. This was our thing: we would fight for days about something stupid, make up with hot, crazy sex, and then afterwards, we would just lay there and talk. We didn't sleep and neither of us bailed afterwards, we just _talked._

"So, did you hear? Fez got a job at the DMV," Hyde said, and I turned to look at him.

"Really?"

"Yeah. He registered when we went with Kelso to renew his license in Point Place. After being in California all summer."

"Wow. So _Fez_ finally has a job now. I'ts about freakin' time!" I cried, and Hyde laughed.

This was my favorite part of our cycle. When we talked, we were at peace with each other. Too relaxed and too exhaused to be pissed off.

"I know, right? And he has his sights on this girl that works there already. Nina?" Hyde said.

"Poor Nina," I replied, grinning.


	41. The Crunge

_**The Crunge**_

**~so here's to teenage ROMANCE && not knowing why it hurts like hell.~**

I was sitting at the Hub with Hyde, Eric, and Jackie while Donna was getting something at the counter when Fez came running in.

"Guess what?"

"Nobody guess. It's always about boobs," Jackie said, rolling her eyes,

"Oh, come on. Don't you want to know what I have to say?" Fez asked.

"Man, I never know what you want to say. I mean, in your head you're speaking English, but when it comes out its all buzzes and clicks," Hyde replied and I giggled.

"Oh really?" Fez asked, sitting down. "Well I guess I was speaking English to the SATs because I got 1,000 points. Oh, and last night on cable I saw four boobs."

Jackie and I rolled our eyes just as Donna came over and took a seat next to Eric.

"Wait, so the SATs are in? Donna, did you see your scores yet?" Eric asked. She nodded.

"Yeah, this morning. I got a 1230."

"What? A 1230? That's great! Why didn't you say something?" Eric gushed, while I pouted. I had only gotten a 1020. I knew that was good, but I was perfectly happy thinking that I got the highest scores out of everyone. Hyde saw me pouting and he snickered at me. I flipped him off under the table.

"Well, I didn't want to brag. I mean, yeah I kicked ass, but it's no big deal," Donna said. Kitty came running in, looking very excited.

"Eric, Eric, honey! I got the mail and your SAT envelope happened to be open and the letter just sort of slid into my hand..." she rambled on. "...and I accidentally put on my reading glasses and I saw your score. _You got an 800!_"

"Ouch," I hissed to Hyde.

"I got an 800? That's it?" Eric asked, disappointed.

"'That's it?' If 100's an A, eight of them's an A-plus-plus!"

"No, no, Mrs. Forman, an 800's not good. I mean, a pigeon can peck a better score than that," Jackie explained.

"Really?"

"Donna and Sarah did better. Fez did, too. And his whole country's made of bamboo."

"This is awkward. I'll just, um, I'll go home and take down the streamers," she said and ran out of the Hub.

"Forman, the SATs prove nothing. I mean, I got a 950 and I don't even have any textbooks. Or a locker," Hyde said, and I whipped my head around to look at

"_A 950?_ You got a _950?_" I cried, excitedly. When I got my score, I had been eager to share with everyone, but Hyde refused to tell me or anyone else what he got. Until now.

"Sarah..._please_ don't make a big deal out of this!" he begged and I squealed, clapping my hands over my mouth to keep myself from speaking any more.

"I just-I can't believe I got the lowest score here," Eric sighed.

"Oh, Eric, someone had to come in last. There is no shame in that. Well, there is a little shame," Fez said, and then started grinning, wildly. "Shame on you."

"Hey!" Donna cried, and slapped Fez. "You know, who cares what anyone got? It's just a stupid test."

"You know what? You're right, I don't care."

At that moment, Kelso came barging in, screaming,

"I GOT A 1030!"

"No..." Eric moaned, putting his head on the table.

"YEAH! Hahaha! I did good on a test, man! Something's happened to me. I'M BLOOMING LIKE A FLOWER. WHOO-HOO!"

With all the commotion going on around me, I wasn't paying any attention. I was too busy fixated on Steven's 950. Sure, I got 70 more points than him, but he did a _lot_ better than I expected (_Oh crap! _Kelso_ did better than me?_).

And then I thought about something that Hyde and I promised we wouldn't think about until we graduated: our future.


	42. The Battle of Evermore

_**The Battle of Evermore**_

**~It's amazing how easily you make me smile.~**

"...so he's like, replace the hub cap. And I'm like, hey, why don't you replace the hub cap? And that…is why I'm trimming the hedges," Eric explained. Fez, Kelso, Donna, and I were all in the driveway watching Eric trim the hedges.

"Yeah, I only mess with Red when I really need the discipline. He's a total hard ass," Kelso said.

"Hard ass? Take another look my friend. It jiggles when he wiggles," Fez pointed out. I stared at him.

"You are one weird little man," I said.

"Man, I don't know the deal is with Leo," Hyde announced, walking out of the house. "He told me to take a week off from the Foto Hut two weeks ago and I haven't heard from him since."

"Well, we need to find him 'cause we're all out of film, if you know what I mean?" Kelso asked.

**"**I need film. Then I could take pictures of Nina and me doing it."

I rolled my eyes. "Fez, will you shut up about you and Nina doing it?"

"Fez, film doesn't really mean _film_," Jackie said, everyone deciding to ignore my comment.

"Who cares? 'Cause for the first time in my life doinf it really means doing it."

Red came walking up. "So, I guess this is the way an immature, engaged, high school dumbass with no car, no job and no money trims the hedges."

"That was like, eight burns in one sentence," I said, impressed.

"An octo-burn," Donna agreed. "Let's get the hell out of here." And we did just that.

"So where could Leo be?" I asked and Hyde shrugged.

"I don't know!" and then muttered so only I could hear, "I hope he's okay..."

"Hey, you wanna check the Foto Hut? Maybe Leo's there," I suggested and Hyde brightened.

"Yeah, sure! Okay."

Kelso groaned. "Aw, man! I don't wanna waste the whole day looking for Leo."

"Shut up, Kelso!" I snapped. "Don't you want your 'film'?"

That was enough to convince everybody. When we got there, the Foto Hut was empty.

"Oh, no wonder Leo hasn't told me to come to work. There's no work to come to!" Hyde cried.

"Did he leave a note?" Jackie asked.

"Nope. Just this," Fez said and held up a picture of Leo as Employee of the Month. "You know, he looked dirty, but he always smelled like clean sheets."

"Y'know, you're talking about him like he's gone, man. He would have told me if he was leavin' town," Hyde said.

"Yeah, Steven, I'm sure," I said, but secretly, I _wasn't_ so sure.

"Maybe…a UFO appeared and it shot down a beam and made everyone and everything inside the Foto Hut vanish. Yeah, like an apparition," Kelso suggested.

"God, you're an idiot," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Kelso, you don't even know what an apparition is," Hyde pointed out.

"Hey, if I can't use words that I don't understand, this is gonna be one quiet afternoon!"

"We could go look for him," I suggested and Hyde nodded.

"Cool. Let's go."

"No way," Kelso objected. "I'm going to the basement."

"Yeah, me too," Jackie agreed and Fez nodded.

"Fine! Then _we'll_ just go!" Hyde snapped and stomped out the door, me in tow. We checked everywhere, but Leo was nowhere to be found. We came back to the basement in disappointment.

"Well, we couldn't find Leo. We just checked all his hangouts," Hyde said.

"The Hub," I suggested.

"Alley behind The Hub," he added.

"Fatso Burger."

"Alley behind the Fatso Burger."

"Hyde, when are you gonna accept the fact that Leo just bailed?" Kelso asked and I saw something stir in Hyde's face.

"Man, he wouldn't leave without saying goodbye, okay? I know him better than I know my own father." I prayed no one would crack any jokes about Hyde not knowing his dad. They didn't.

"I'd like to do it with Nina in an alley," Fez piped up. "My bare ass pressed up against a cold dumpster-"

"Fez, Fez, stop!" I moaned, covering my ears.

"Did you guys check Leo's apartment?" Jackie asked, and I shook my head.

"No." I looked at Hyde. "Let's check there. If we can't find him after that, we'll just wait for him to show up." Hyde reluctantly agreed and all five of us hopped into the El Camino, to Leo's apartment.

"How are we gonna break into Leo's apartment?" Fez asked. We were standing in the hallway outside the apartment. Kelso threw himself at the door, only to stumble backwards.

"We need a credit card to slip in the door," he suggested. "Panch used one on CHIPs once and the lady he rescued was so grateful they did it."

"Kelso, if we had a credit card we could buy a sledge hammer and break down the door," Hyde said.

"If we had a credit card I'd be butt deep in _Jordache_ right now," Jackie pointed out.

"Jackie! We're off topic," I said.

"Right."

Fez turned the handle and open the door. Someone was lying (possibly dead) on the floor.

"Leo, man!" Hyde cried.

"I'm gonna kick him and see if he's okay!" Kelso said and started to kick the body, but Hyde stopped him.

"Kelso! No!"

"Well, at least throw something at him! If he's asleep he'll wake up, and if he's dead you can say you threw something at a dead guy."

I rolled my eyes and frogged him. "Kelso, have I ever told you how incredibly _insensitive_ you are?"

"Yes," he replied.

"_Good!_"

Hyde shook the body, and the man woke up. But it wasn't Leo.

"Officer, I have a prescription for that!" he yelped.

"No, no! Relax, man! We're just looking for Leo," Hyde explained.

"Oh, he left. I'm his cousin Eli," Eli said.

"Really? He just left? He didn't call or anything?" Hyde sounded disappointed. _Really_ disappointed.

"Oh Steven, I'm sorry," I said.

"Yeah, don't take in personal Hyde. You know Leo never liked phones. He said he could hear voices in them," Kelso added.

"By the way, he left a note. Do any of you know a kid named Heidi?" Eli asked.

"He means Hyde. That's me! The note's for me!" he cried, excitedly and grabbed the note. He quickly buried his excitement. "I mean, the notes for me: _Dear Hyde man, One day I stopped in Point Place for some gas. Before I knew it, eight years had passed. Whoa, that rhymes. Anyway, I should get home to my wife. Take care. You're a good kid, man. You're a good kid, man._" Hyde looked up from the letter, happier. "See? I told you he wouldn't leave without saying goodbye."

"And he left you somethin' else. He said that you liked _film_, if you know what I mean?" Eli asked and we all started grinning.

"Alright!" I yelled.

"I was hoping we could take a little something home. You know, put it in the shirt pocket," Hyde said and Eli handed Hyde a big film canister. Hyde opened it. "Holy hell!"

"God_damn,_ that's a lot of weed!" I yelped.


	43. No Quarter

_**No Quarter**_

**~I NEED YOU. I MISS YOU. I LOVE YOU.~**

"So Jackie moved in with Donna, huh?" Hyde said. We were the only ones in the basement. It was a school day and we ditched.

"Yeah. Both her parents split on her." I sighed. "God knows we know what that's like."

"Uh-huh," he murmured, his eyes focused on th screen. I turned to face him, and he knew I wanted to talk, but he was pretending _not_ to know.

"I remember when our parents used to tell us that we wouldn't live to be sixteen. But look at us now: almost eighteen and still fully alive. So _ha!_"

"Yeah."

"We just _can't_ end up like them, you know? I remember when we were younger and we made a pact to never become like our parents. I just hope we can _stick_ to that pac-"

"Alright, Sarah," Hyde said with a sigh. "Do you want to talk?"

I perked up. "Talking? Yeah, now that you mention it!" I made myself comfortable on the couch, facing him on his chair. "I just never want to end up like our parents. Sometimes I wonder where we _will_ end up, you know? If we'll end up together or not."

"Hold on, Sarah. Stressing about the future in high school is what broke up Eric and Donna. _And_ Kelso and Jackie, come to think of it," Hyde interrupted.

"I know, I know. And I'm not _stressing_ about it. Just wondering. Like, where do you see yourself in five years?" I asked.

"_No,_ Sarah! We fucking _promised_ that we wouldn't think about our future until we graduated! Remember?" Hyde cried. I sighed.

"Yeah. I remember."


	44. Trampled Under Foot

_**Trampled Under Foot**_

**~i love you. is that okay?~**

"Come on, Sarah, we're all going over to Fez's," Donna said. I was sitting at the Forman kitchen table.

"No thanks," I murmured. I was tired and lazy-I didn't feel like doing _anything_ today.

"Sarah, Nina just dumped him-"

"_He and Nina were dating?_" I cried in shock and Donna laughed at me.

"_Yes!_ They were! But she broke up with him and we have to comfort him. Come on."

"I don't think so, Donna. I'll go over there later."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

Donna frowned. "Well...okay then. But make sure you stop by. He really needs us right now."

"I won't forget." Donna left and I laid my head on the table. I didn't get hardly _any_ sleep last night and I was fucking tired. No matter how much Hyde tried to tell me to stop thinking about our future, I fucking couln't. It just kept looming over me and it was driving me insane.

_Relax, Sarah,_ I thought to myself. _There's only what? A month and a half left of school? Then we'll graduate and I can get Steven to talk about it._ The thought relaxed me and I nodded off right there on the kitchen table.


	45. You Shook Me

_**You Shook Me**_

**~LOVE **_**is when you look into a person's eyes and get butterflies and smile for no reason.**_

"...Sarah, I thought we weren't gonna talk about this anymore! We agreed!" Hyde yelled, angrily.

"No, you agreed! I was just pretending to agree to some stupid promise!" I yelled back.

"It's not _stupid,_ it's logical! It's probably gonna save us from breaking up!"

"_Well, it's not doing a very good job!_"

"What the hell is your obsession with the future, anyway? Why can't you just live your life in the now?"

"I _am_ trying to live my life in the now! But graduation is almost here, and I really think we need to-"

"_No!_ I'm not talking about anything!"

"Alright, alright, what the hell is going on down here?" Red snapped as he and Kitty came into the basement. It was around midnight, I guess we hadn't realized it was that late.

"What _happened_ to you two? I thought you worked things out, so you would stop fighting all the time!" Kitty cried and I sighed.

"We-we did, Mrs. Forman. I'll just go to bed now. 'Nite, Steven." I gave him a quick kiss before following Kitty up the stairs, while Red stayed down to talk some sense into that boy.


	46. The Immigrant Song

_**The Immigrant Song**_

**~You make me **_**laugh **_**when I don't even want to**_** smile.**_

"Fez has to go back to his home country? Nooo!" I moaned. I was sitting in Jackie's room, on her bed. I came here to talk to her (Donna kept blabbing about Red giving her and Eric his blessing to live together) but then she dumped _this_ on me!

"I know! The group just wouldn't be the same without Fez!" Jackie cried. We spent the next few minutes venting about how unfair this was and how much we would miss our foreign friend. Then I got to the point.

"Jackie, I came here to ask you something."

"Really? What?" she asked.

"Well…" I struggled to find the right words. "actually, I came here for advice. About me and Steven."

Jackie looked puzzled. "What about you and Hyde? You guys are great together." I sighed.

"Jackie…there's a lot you don't know about us. We've been fighting...a _lot_ lately. And it's starting to scare me."

"Fighting about what?"

"The thing is…I'm really worried about our future. You know, where we're gonna end up? And Steven doesn't even want to think about it. I'm starting to think that we're never gonna have the type of future I want together, or one at all." I sighed. "I just…I want to move forward with my life after high school, and Steven…doesn't. I don't want to live in the Forman's house forever!"

"I know what you mean, Sarah. I do. I felt like that with Michael, all the time. Like he would never be able to support me. You just…you have to give him a choice. A future with you now or none at all," Jackie said.

"Like how you wanted Kelso to marry you?"

"Yes."

"But…that didn't work out for you!"

"Exactly. You're either meant to be or you're not."


	47. Celebration Day

_**Celebration Day**_

**i need a hug.~**

"Oh My God! Sarah, _look!_" Donna squealed, waving an envelope in my face.

"What is it?" I asked, confused.

"Come with me to show Eric!" she cried, jumping up and I obediently followed, yelling,

"But what _is it?_"

"Eric, guess what just came for you?" Donna asked as we entered the basement, reaching into the package.

Eric looked nervous. "Hey! They just send those to me, okay? I don't even find those girls attractive."

"No, you perv," Donna replied, rolling her eyes and pulled out a key. "It's the key to our new apartment in Madison!"

"Wow!"

"Now we can leave tomorrow after graduation like we wanted."

"Great. By this time next week, our new neighbors will be hearing your cries of love through our paper thin walls."

"Cries of love…or cries of disappointment?" Hyde asked, as I sat down on his lap.

"I don't want to go!" Fez whined, pitifully.

"Come on, Fez. It's not like we're never gonna see you again," I said.

"Yeah! I'm sure in a couple of months you'll be like…on the cover of National Geographic's," Eric agreed.

"Yeah, those bastards are always so intrusive!"

"Fez, look, at least we're going camping tonight, and we'll all be together for our last big blow-out."

There were nods and "yeah"s shared all around, except for from me and Hyde. He and I both knew that the second we got there, I was gonna go nuts over talking about our future.

But who can blame me? Eric and Donna are moving to Madison, Kelso's going to be a cop (or something), and Fez is moving back home. Everyone else was moving forward, except for Hyde and I. I wanted to move forward, but my boyfriend seemed content standing still.

At that moment, Jackie came bouncing downstairs, babbling all about the camping trip, and about how fun it was gonna be. After a while, we all ended up going upstairs, into the Forman kitchen. Laurie had moved back in about a week ago, and we were sharing a room again. She heard us talking about the trip and said,

"So, you guys are going to the big lake, huh? It's real fun up there. My senior year, I set the record for most topless rides on the rope swing." She giggled and then looked sad. "I wish I was going."

"Yeah, don't even think about it, Laurie. There's enough scary things in the woods already," Eric said.

"Eric, I'm being deported and she's loose with the boobs. She goes," Fez argued. Hyde and Kelso walk into the kitchen as Laurie leaves.

"Hey, Forman? Your mom just got back from the looney doctor," Hyde said.

"She got real depressed when she heard you guys were moving to Madison, huh?" Kelso asked.

"Yeah, you're telling me. Last night she was making sounds that were giving my dad war flashbacks," Eric said.

Red led Kitty into the kitchen and Hyde and Kelso quickly slipped out the door.

"What a _beautiful_ day!" Kitty cooed, happily. "I feel like a rainbow! Anyone else feel like a rainbow?"

"What happened to her?" Eric asked and Red held up pills and shook them.

It was later that night, and we were all gathered around a campfire when Donna said,

"You know, it really creeps me out being here after what happened to those kids."

"What kids?" Kelso asked, nervously.

"Well, a bunch of kids, just like us, were camping out up here and they disappeared. And all the police could find were these bloody drag marks that led down to the lake," she explained. Kelso, Jackie, Fez, and Laurie looked afraid, but Hyde and I didn't even flinch. We had experienced much scarier things growing up. "It was like something killed them and then pulled them in."

"Maybe it was the Loch-ness monster?" Fez suggested.

"No, Fez, the Loch-ness monster is in Africa," Laurie said.

"So the police searched the lake with their sonar and stuff, and when they placed back the tapes, all they could hear in the background was a whisper," Donna continued.

"What did it say?" Kelso whispered.

Donna flicked on a flashlight, holding it under her face and used a ghost voice: "_I am the Lady of the Lake…I am the Lady of the Lake…_" Now she used her regular voice. "Yeah, and you'll know when she's coming because she screams before she kills. Let's see if we can hear her…"

All of us were silent, and there were no noises. Donna looked flustered.

"I _said,_ let's see if we can HEAR HER!" she cried.

"Donna…I'm stuck in a thorn bush," Eric said from a distance and Donna groaned before getting up to help him.

After that, Eric and Donna, and Fez and Laurie disappeared down to the lake until it was just Kelso, Jackie, Hyde, and me. And damn, it was awkward. No one could think of anything to say. Suddenly, a scream came from the lake and Kelso just about crapped his pants.

"What the hell was that?" Jackie and I yelled.

"It's the Lady of the Lake! She screams and then she kills!" Kelso yelped and dove into his tent. Jackie rolled her eyes and got into her tent. One by one, Eric and Donna came back and went into their tent, too, falling asleep (or doing…other things).

Then it was just me and Hyde.

"Well…we're graduating tomorrow," Hyde said with a sigh.

"Sure are," I agreed. "We need to talk."

"I know," he murmured.

"Steven, I don't want to live with the Forman's for the rest of my life."

"And we _won't._ We'll move out…eventually."

"Eventually?" I asked. "I don't _want_ to move out eventually. I want to move out like…soon. Very soon. Get an apartment, like Eric and Donna. _Build a future,_ like Eric and Donna."

"But why do you want to plan out our whole future right now?" Hyde asked, impatiently.

"Because our future _is_ happening right now!" I argued. "I want to get my own apartment, get married someday, and give my kids a better childhood than I had. I _know_ you can give me that future, Steven! But I need to get started on it now."

"Well, what are you saying?" Hyde asked, and I took a deep breath.

"After graduation, I want you to move into an apartment in Kenosha with me."

"I don't want to do that yet, Sarah."

"Then I guess we want two different things," I stated. "and I guess the past two years have just been a huge waste of time."

"Are we breaking up?" Hyde asked, sadly and I nodded.

"I think so."


	48. The Kids Are Alright

_**The Kids Are Alright**_

**~You hold the key to my **_**heart.**_

_I sat alone near a corner and watched all the other kids run around and play while I stared up at the clock, begging the time to fly by. _

_I was scanning the room when someone acros the room caught my eye. It was the curly-haired kid on the other side of the street by the mailbox that I had seen a few days ago. He was leaning against the wall across the room, staring at the floor, his eyes still hidden behind the pair of sunglasses on his nose. I got up and crossed the room, and sat down next to him. He stared at me._

_"My name is Sarah. What's yours?"_

_"Steven Hyde. But call me Hyde."_

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out all the memories. The gang and I had gotten home late from the camping trip to find out that we missed our graduation. Then Fez announced that he married Laurie so he could stay in the country, and gave Red a heart attack.

With all this going on, Hyde and I decided to keep our break-up quiet for a while, so we wouldn't draw attention away from everything else that was going on.

Right now I was sitting on my bed, trying not to think about Steven Hyde.

_Before I knew what I was doing, I leaned forward and kissed him. We stopped dancing for a second, but stayed in the dance position until the kiss was over._

_"Um, sorry, I've just really wanted to do that for a long time." I said blushing and tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear._

_"Don't be sorry."_

"Dammit," I muttered. This whole not thinking about Hyde thing _really_ wasn't working.

_"No, Hyde, come on! Don't be mad at me." He sighed._

_"I'm not mad at _you_..."_

_"You're mad at your mom, I know. Believe it or not, I get what that feels like. Sometimes…I wonder what she's doing right now. You know? Like, if she misses me or even remembers me. Or even cares about me."_

_"Sometimes I think about Bud, but mostly it's just to think about that I'm glad he's gone. There's really nothing about him that I miss. I'm just so sick of Edna always telling me about how I ruined her life." I nodded and sat down on the ground, and Hyde sat down next to me._

_"Yeah."_

_"Your dad's a bastard, you know that?" Hyde said, and I nodded._

_"I know. I hate him…so much…but sometimes I wonder how he got so screwed up, and if that will happen to me.."_

_"That's not going to happen to you, Sarah. You're a good person," I just shrugged, and looked at the ground._

_Hyde took my face in his hands, and pointed my face towards his. He kissed me and kissed me and kissed me again until we were making out. I took his sunglasses off and threw them somewhere behind me, and he laid down on the ground, and I laid on top of him. We made out like that for a while, and then I rolled off of him and stared up at the clouds._

_"We should probably go back now," I murmured._

_"Yeah. We should," Hyde agreed, but neither of us moved._

After that, I gave up trying to not think about him. I buried my face in my pillow and cried, because I loved him so much. And I wish I could stop loving him, but it just doesn't work like that.

_Hyde cut me off by pressing his lips to mine._

_I was sorta caught off guard for a second there._

_"Whaa-?"I said, frowning. What was going on?_

_"Look...Sarah, man...Donna told me that you only did what you did with David was because you wanted me to ask you out...or something like that. And I felt kinda stupid for being mad at you...but more cuz I didn't figure it out..."_

_"So...where does that leave us?"I asked, frowning, and Hyde slipped his ring (the one he wears on his pinky finger) into my hand._

_"Do you want to...you know..." I raised my eyebrows at him and smirked._

_"Be your girlfiend?"_

_"Yeah. That." I laughed._

_"Yeah. Sure."_

The tears stained my pillow as my sobs slowed and I regained composure over myself.

_"Hey, speaking of Valentine's Day, why aren't you spending it with Hyde?" _

_"Steven? He's not much of a romantic. We're probably just gonna have hot Valentine's Day sex. Speaking of hot Valentine's Day sex...I should probably get over there." _

_"No. Way," I said, gasping as I walked in the basement. I had expected Kelso or Fez and Caroline, or someone to be down there, but there was no one. Just me and Hyde. _

_He put rose petals on the couch and candles on the coffee table and TV. _

_"I can't cook, so..." he murmured, looking down at his boots. _

_"Oh My God, Steven, it's so beautiful!" I cried, and for a moment I felt like Jackie, but I didn't really care. i was so impressed, and I loved him so much. "Thank you, I love you." _

_"I love you, too," he replid and kissed me before we sank onto the couch, deeply involved in making out with each other and probably going much farther._

"I love you, Steven Hyde," I whispered.


	49. Magic Bus

_**Magic Bus**_

**~life is too short: grudges are a waste of perfect happiness. laugh when you can. apologize when you should and let go of what you can't change. love deeply and forgive quickly. take chances. give everything and have ****no**** regrets. Life is too short to be unhappy, you have to take the good with the bad. smile when you're sad. love what you got and always remember what you had. always forgive but never forget. learn from your mistakes but never regret. people change, and things go wrong. but always remember: life goes on.~**

"Happy 18th birthday, Eric," I said, smiling and giving him a big hug.

"Thanks, Sarah," he replied.

"Here's your present." I handed him the wrapped box, but he didn't tear it open like I had expected. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's just that no gift could ever compare to what Donna gave me."

I giggled. "What? Did she give you birthday sex before she left for college?"

"No! Get this, she stayed home from college for _me!_" Eric cried, happily.

"Oh My God...that's awesome," I lied. _I thought Donna was desperate to get out of Point Place... _"Umm...Eric, I have some news, too."

"Okay, what is it?"

"I'm moving out."


	50. The Acid Queen

_**The Acid Queen**_

**~Lives are for living. I live for you.****Dreams are for dreaming. I dream for you.****Hearts are for beating. Mine beats for you.****Angels are for keeping. Can I keep you?~**

"Alright, Jackie, I _need_ to talk to yo-!" I started, barging into the basement, but Jackie wasn't there. Hyde was. "Steven. Hi."

"Sarah...hey." There was an awkward silence. "So I heard you're thinking about moving out."

"Yeah, I am," I replied. "I'm gonna start looking for an apartment really soon. Actually, that was why I was looking for Jackie. So she could come with me and Donna when we..."

"Looked for apartments?" Hyde guessed and I nodded, forcing a smile.

"Yeah. That."

"Cool."

"Yeah."

"So...you're really doing okay on your own? I mean um, now that we've graduated?" Hyde asked, and I thought, _God, this is awkward._

"Yeah, I am. I'm really excited about my new apartment. Not sure if my Pricemart salary will pay for the rent, but I'll manage," I replied. "So you're gonna be living here for a while?"

"I think so."

"Oh...that's cool. Well, I have to go. I have to comfort Jackie about Kelso knocking up some chick-"

"Brooke," he corrected me.

"Right. Her. Jackie claims to be over Kelso, but she's still a little upset." I wasn't sure why I was explaining all this to him, but then I quickly turned on my heel and practically bolted out the door.

Staying friends with Hyde was going to be harder than I thought. How did Eric and Donna do it when they broke up?


	51. I'm Free

_**I'm Free**_

**~Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction.~**

"But Sarah," Kitty protested. "do you have to move out so soon after graduate? Steven's staying here, and Eric's taking the year off! Even Donna's staying!"

"Yeah, but what about Kelso and Fez?" I argued. "Fez is married to Laurie, and Kelso has a kid on the way. They're moving forward with their lives, and I want to, too." I decided not to add, _I think Eric, Donna, and Steven are just too afraid to start their own futures._

Kitty just sighed and shook her head. "Honey...don't you see? Michael and Fez...they didn't have any control over what is happening right now. I just think you should slow down a bit like Steven and Eric and Donna. That's all I'm saying."

I chewed on my lip. Could she be right? _But I just bought an apartment in Kenosha this morning..._


	52. Young Man Blues

_**Young Man Blues**_

**I want to be the girl**** who you hit a **_**homerun**_** for. I want to be the girl who **_**makes you smile.**_** I just want to be that girl.~**

I closed up my last box and took a look around me. Laurie's old room, the one that I had come to think of as my own, was littered with boxes filled with my things. I was moving into my new apartment today and everyone had said goodbye. Well, everyone except for...

"Hey." I spun around, and saw Hyde standing awkwardly in the doorway.

"Hi! Steven, hey!" I coughed, trying not to sound so excited. _So what if he's the only one who didn't say goodbye to me? I don't need his blessing! Oh, who am I kidding? Yes, I do._ "What are you doing here?"

"I, uh, just wanted to say goodbye. Forman said you were moving out today," he said.

"Well, yeah. I am. But I mean, it's not like you're never gonna see me again. I'm still gonna drive down here to visit." I let out a sigh. "You just won't see me as much."

"Why not?"

I sighed and whispered, "I don't know. Just...life. My job, my new apartment..."

"Looks like you have everything now," Hyde said.

"Except for you," I blurted out and froze. _Oh My God. Did I just say that out loud?_

"What?"

I blushed and looked away. "Nothing. I'm just...being stupid."

"If it helps...I'm being stupid, too." I turned to look at him.

"Huh?"

"I miss you, too."

I hate to admit it, but those four words brightened up my whole day. I could've lost my job, broken my leg, _and_ had my new apartment burn down and it still would've been the best day of my life. "You do?"

"Yeah," he said and crossed the room and kissed me. And kissed me and kissed me and kissed me. It was when we started removing clothes that I had to ask:

"Are we back together now?"

"Yeah, I think so," Hyde replied with a grin and then he kissed my neck.

"But...what about all that other stuff?"

"I don't care."


	53. Baby Don't Do It

_**Baby Don't Do It**_

**~The worst way to miss someone is to be sitting right beside them, knowing you can never have them.~**

"Oh My God," I moaned, facepalming. "I am so stupid."

"Don't worry, Sarah! Getting back together with that dirty burnout who will never take you anywhere in life isn't the worst thing that could have happened!" Jackie reassured me, patting me on the arm. We were sitting on the couch in my small apartment in Kenosha and I was feeling almost suicidal.

"No, Jackie, there's something els-" I started, but Jackie jumped up.

"Oh My God! I totally forgot! I have a _shitload_ of homework back in Point Place! I'm calling Donna and telling her to come pick me up."

"No, but Jackie, this is _really_ important!" I cried as she ran to the phone.

"Oh really? _More important than me failing high school?_" she cried, shrilly and disappeared into my kitchen.

"What's more important than Jackie failing high school?" I muttered. "How about that I'm two weeks late for my period?" I let out a sigh of disappointment, thinking back to that one day when I was packing up my stuff and Hyde and I did it three times in my old room. _We should have used protection..._


	54. Who Are You

_**Who Are You**_

**~Sometimes you think you've gotten over a person, but then you see him smile. You suddenly realize you're just pretending. You got over him to ease the pain of knowing you're not his.~**

"Jackie, your mom is a gold-digging _tramp!_" Donna cried, angrily. "I don't want her dating my dad!"

"And you think I want my mom dating your afro-haired dad? She deserves better!" Jackie snapped back.

I took a deep breath. All their fighting was giving me a headache. I, personally, didn't give a rat's ass that Pam Burkhart and Bob were dating, but I guess it was a big deal to their children.

"Guys..." I started, but they just shushed me and continued arguing. I tried again: "It's _important._"

Jackie was still chatting away, but Donna turned to look at me, completely ignoring the raven-haired girl. "What is it, Sarah?"

"Guys..." I took a deep breath. "I might be pregnant." Jackie was listening now, too.

"_What?_"

"I haven't gotten my period in two weeks...and Steven and I have been having a _lot_ of unprotected sex lately. Oh My God, my whole life is ruined," I moaned and Donna pulled me into a hug.

"It'll be okay, Sarah. I'll go to the drugstore and pick up a pregnancy test and then you can take it here," Jackie said. We were at Donna's house.

"Okay," I murmured, trying to get the tears to stop, but it wasn't working. Jackie quickly ran out of the room and then it was just Donna with me, still hugging me. And I never wanted her to let go.

"What if I _am_ pregnant?" I sobbed. "What am I gonna do? How am I gonna tell Mr. and Mrs. Forman? How am I gonna tell _Steven?_ This is a disaster."

"Don't worry. Hyde will do the right thing," Donna reassured me, but I wasn't so sure. And then I immediately felt like a bitch for not being so sure.

Ten minutes later, Jackie came back with the pregnancy test and it took them another ten minutes to convince me to take it. Finally, I was in the bathroom with Donna and Jackie waiting outside. It took me another five minutes to convince _myself_ to take the test, but I finally did.

I put the stick on the counter and called Donna and Jackie in so we could wait the five minutes for the results together.

One minute went by and Donna and Jackie were squeezing my hands and telling me everything was going to be okay, no matter what the test said.

Two minutes went by and their encouragements were whispered now, as if the pregnancy test might _hear them_ somehow.

Another minute went by and we were all silent and panic-stricken. One more minute until the results.

I took a deep breath and got up. I crossed the bathroom and took a look at the results, and they took my breath away: positive.


	55. Man with Money

_**Man with Money**_

**~Im sorry about never trusting u. Im sorry for always hurting ur feelings. Im sorry i cant be who u want me to be. Im sorry i cant be perfect. Im sorry for our past experiences. Im sorry im not ur dream girl. What im trying to get through is that im sorry im not good enough to be with u.~**

"Steven, I need to talk to you," I said, entering the Forman basement. Eric and Fez were there with him, and all three of them turned to look at me.

"Uhh...sure," Hyde said.

"Where's Donna?" Eric asked me.

"What? I, uh, I dunno. I think she and Jackie are trying to break their parents up or something," I said and then turned to Hyde. "Steven?"

"I'm right here. Talk," he said, his eyes flickering from me to the TV.

"Privately," I insisted, holding out my hand and pointing towards his room with the other one.

He sighed. "Okay. Later, guys." Hyde took my hand and I led him to his room, and shut the door. "What's so important? The six-million dollar man was on."

"Steven...do you remember how we broke up in the first place because of our future?" I started, trying to ease into this, holding both his hands in mine.

"Yeah..." he replied, slowly. "Where are you going with this, Sarah?" I stared at the ground, sighing, and trying to control my emotions, _and _my tears.

"Umm..."

"Sarah, what's wrong?" Hyde asked, concerned.

I whipped my head up to look at him and blurted out, "Steven, I'm pregnant." Hyde looked confused, shocked, and scared all in a matter of seconds.

"You're..._what?_ How could...I can't believe..._what!_ This can't be happening."

"Well it _is!_" I cried. "And this is your fault just as much as mine!" I swallowed the lump in my throat and blinked away tears. "I know you wanted to slow down with our future, but this was an accident, Steven! And if you want to leave me because I'm pregnant then...I can't stop you."

Hyde suddenly looked furious. "Sarah...! I'm not going to _leave you,_ especially now that you're pregnant! How could you think that?"

"I-I don't know," I whispered. "I'm just scared."

His voice lowered, too. "I'm not like that, Sarah, I promise. I'm not like fucking _Bud._"

"I know," I murmured, crying now. Hyde wrapped me into his arms and was squeezing the life out of me in a massive bear hug while I cried into his chest. Then he said something that surprised me:

"Maybe this isn't a bad thing." I lifted my tear-streaked face up to look at him. I backed away and lifted up my shirt and then put his hands on my temporarily flat stomach.

"This is our baby."


	56. Substitute

_**Substitute**_

**~there's ****only**** so much a girl can take ****before**** she ****completely**** gives up.~**

"Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked Hyde as eh put the last of his things into boxes. His tiny room in the basement looked weird...empty.

"Yeah," he replied, and sat down on his cot with a sigh. "Yeah, I'm sure."

"You don't _have_ to do thi-"

"Yes, I do," he interrupted me.

I sighed. "How are we going to tell Mr. and Mrs. Forman?" But Hyde didn't answer me. He was too busy staring at my stomach. "Steven?"

"I wonder if it's a boy or a girl."

"I-I don't know." I ran my hands over my stomach. "Which one do you want?"

I expected him to cry, _Boy!_ but he just muttered, "I don't care."

"Really?"

"Nope. Which one do you want?"

"I don't care, either," I replied.

"Good," Hyde said, standing up and picking up his boxes. "Well, let's go."

We got upstairs and crossed the kitchen, towards the El Camino when Red and Kitty stopped us.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Red asked Hyde.

"I'm moving in with Sarah," Hyde answered.

"But _Steven! _Why!" Kitty protested.

"Because-" Hyde started, but I interrupted him.

"Because I'm pregnant," I took a deep breath. "and Steven is just trying to do the right thing."

"You got her _pregnant?_" Red cried, angrily. "Of all the _stupid_ things you have ever done-!"

"Red, I know you're disappointed...but it was an accident, and we're trying to make the best of it," Hyde said.

"Oh My God!" Kitty squealed, breaking the tension and also to lighten the mood: "I'm going to get a _grandchild!_"


	57. 5:15

_**5:15**_

**~heartbreak doesn't even begin to explain how she felt the moment he said "i like somebody else."~**

"Well, guys, I have to get going," Kelso said, getting up from the couch in the basement with a sigh. "I have to take Brooke to a baby class. Later, guys."

"Later," we all called as he left.

"Oh, that reminds me," I said, rubbing my stomach. I was about three or four months along now, and a lot of months had passed since we told Red, Kitty, and the guys about me being pregnant. Red yelled and Kitty was upset and Red yelled some more and Kitty drank a little, but it all worked out in the end. Hyde's been looking for a job because, let's be honest, it's hard to pay the rent with just my Pricemart paycheck. And we didn't actually tell the guys. We didn't have to. Donna told Eric, and Jackie told Kelso and Kelso told Fez. "I'm getting my ultrasound today. I should get going."

"Oh yeah!" Donna cried. "I almost forgot. Let's go." Donna, Jackie, and I got up and headed towards the door when Jackie turned.

"Hyde? Don't _you_ want to come?"

"Should I come?" he asked me.

"I don't care," I lied and then thought, _You're only finding out the sex of your baby, assface._

"Well...you could just tell me after, right? It's no big deal?"

"Of course not, Steven," I lied again and then yanked Donna and Jackie out the door. I almost shrieked, "_It is so a big deal!_" as we ran across the yard.

"I _know!_ I can't believe Hyde didn't want to come! That dillhole! When I'm pregnant with Eric's child, I'm fucking _dragging_ his scrawny little ass to the doctor whether he likes it or _not!_" Donna protested.

"Right!" Jackie agreed. "I mean, I know that Steven's poor and everything, but _still!_"

I rolled my eyes at her as we got into the El Camino. "Jackie, this has nothing to do with Steven being poor. It has to do with my boyfriend being an asshole."

**Xxx**

I was at the doctor's with Donna and Jackie, waiting for a nurse to come in and do my ultrasound. I requested that it be Kitty, but I guess you have to have a license or something. I don't know.

"Alright, Sarah," a lady came in, sitting down next to me and pulling up my shirt. "let's get started.

**Xxx**

"Oh My God," I whispered, staring at the screen.

"Oh _wow,_" Jackie and Donna murmured at the same time. The sight of my baby on that screen was truly...incredible. _I wish Steven was here..._

"Would you like to know the sex of the baby?" the lady asked, kindly.

"Yes, please," I replied, tearing up.

"Alright. Your baby is..."

**Xxx**

"...it's a boy," I told Hyde as we were standing in his room.

"_Yes!_" he cried, standing up and grinning.

"Hey, you said you didn't care whether it was a boy or a girl," I argued. "I can't believe you lied to me."

"I can't believe you believed me when I said I didn't care if I got a boy or not," Hyde replied, grinning.


	58. My Wife

_**My Wife**_

**~she cries herself to sleep knowing she won't be held in his arms anymore && the pain aches inside of her knowing she'll see him holding someone else instead of her. /3~**

"It's _perfect!_" Donna cried, happily. "Don't you think it's perfect, Sarah?"

"Uhh..." was all I could say as Donna and I stood in front of the _trailer_ she had rented for her and Eric to live in for a year.

"I wanted your opinion on it before I showed Eric and everyone else. So...what do you think? It's perfect, right?" Donna asked me.

"Perfect...you keep saying that word," I said and then shook my head. "I dunno, D. Maybe perfect isn't the right word to describe your new..." I struggled to find the right word. "home?"

Donna stared at me. "What are you saying?"

"I'm just saying...I thought you wanted to get the hell out of Point Place, Donna! See the world! What happened to that?" I asked, rubbing my large stomach.

"I got engaged, that's what happened! Things are different now," Donna said.

"But are you sure this is what you want?"

"_Yes!_ It's perfect."

I sighed. _There's that word again. _"I don't know if perfect is the right adjective for your trailer. How about dirty? Or small? Seriously, Donna, _hobos_ would describe this thing as perfect."

"You know, you got mean you got pregnant!" Donna snapped, angrily and stomped away.

**Xxx**

Kitty was going wild over all the sexy guys taking their clothes off at the male-strip club we were at.

Jackie was laughing while Kitty went wild.

Donna was drunk as hell and telling Casey Kelso (who was back in town) all her problems at the bar in the corner.

And me? I was standing awkwardly at the door, rubbing my pregnant belly. What a bacholerette party, huh?

"Sarah? Are you okay?" Jackie asked me. I hadn't even noticed she had come up to me.

"Huh? Uhh...yeah. Fine," I lied and Jackie smiled and nodded and quickly went back to giggling at Kitty.

I certainly wasn't fine. Donna was making a huge mistake by buying that trailer. Probably by getting married, too. But at least she was _getting married._ I let out a sad sigh. _Steven and I are having a baby, and the word 'wedding' hasn't even come up..._ I shook my head and pushed the thought away. We were having a _baby_ together! We had to have a future together...right?


	59. Going Mobile

_**Going Mobile**_

**~Everything in life [ changes ] you in some way, even the smallest things. If you do not accept these changes, you do not accept yourself. For through these changes brings new and greater things to you, making you WISER as time progresses. To avoid these changes is a loss. You only live your life ****once****. Do not waste a minute of it avoiding things. Let them come to you, and learn from them. There is always tomorrow.~**

"Sarah, it's stupid for me to be nervous, right?"

_Okay, what the hell, Donna?_ I thought angrily as Donna stared up at me, hopefully. She was holding her mother's wedding dress in front of her body as she stood in front of the mirror. I had sent Jackie away when I could tell something was bothering my best friend. Now she had just spent the last ten minutes talking about how nervous she is, and asking me various questions but then continuing to blabber before I have a chance to answer any of them. She's beginning to sound like Jackie.

_Seriously, how the hell am I supposed to answer a question like that?_

Actually, I did have a few possibilities on how to answer that question. But they're all stupid or cliched or just fucking mean.

I could tell Donna that it's totally normal for the bride to get cold feet the day before her wedding, and that Eric is probably feeling the same way. But come on, who is that going to help? Then Donna will freak out wondering if Eric _really_ wants to marry her or not. Sooner or later she'll be in hysterics and then I won't know _what_ to do.

I could also use reverse psychology and tell Donna that she _should_ be nervous because she's getting married straight out of high school and that Eric will never give her a future that she wants. Then Donna will freak out wondering if she'll spend the rest of her life surrounded by Star Wars action figures in some tiny trailer. Sooner or later she'll be in hysterics and then I won't know _what_ to do.

I could tell Donna that she has nothing to worry about and that she must have known what she was in for when she accepted Eric's marriage proposal because she and Eric love each other. Then Donna will freak out and tell me everything she's worried about and prove me wrong. Sooner or later she'll be in hysterics and I won't know _what_ to do.

They all end the same way. I love Donna, but right now I hate her for putting me in this situation.

"Why do you want _me_ to be the one to answer that?" I asked and I realized I was practically whimpering. _Oh God..._

"What do you mean? You're my Maid of Honor," Donna replied. "Who else am I going to ask? Jackie? I don't think so." She put the dress down and sat down on her bed, facing me. "What's your honest opinon, Sarah? Do you think I'm making a huge mistake?"

I giggled. Suddenly, I knew exactly what to say. "You're asking _me_ about mistakes?" I asked, pointing at my stomach and Donna laughed.

"Yeah. I guess I am."

I sighed and sat down next to her. "Personally? I don't know. You and Eric love each other no matter what but then again...you guys are so young. I mean, Steven and I are having a fucking _baby_ together and even we're not rushing into our future. But you and Eric will be okay no matter what happens." I put a hand on her shoulder. "You know if you're ready or not without my opinon. Just follow your heart, Donna."


	60. The Seeker

_**The Seeker**_

**~To my girls: ...here's to the shit we talk. the guys we stalk. the way we shop. the laughs we can't stop. the gossip we spill. the looks that could kill. to havin' each others back, to the next morning gettin' the facts. downin' the beers and spillin' the tears...we'll stay together through the years.~**

Steven Hyde was the only thing on my mind as I drove to the hospital.

"This is all stupid Eric's fault, you know," I said, looking down at my stomach as I stopped for a red light. "If he hadn't left Donna at the altar, then she wouldn't have been depressed. If she hadn't been depressed, she never would have accidentally pushed Daddy off the damn water tower!"

Yes, I'm talking to my stomach. Because Kitty told me that it's good to talk to the baby so it can get to know you before it comes out. At first I thought it was crazy but now I absolutely love it. I can vent to my baby boy about anything, and I don't feel like I'm talking to myself.

I pulled into the parking lot of the hospital and slowly got out. I ran as fast as I was able to (being pregnant and all) to the room Kitty told me Hyde was staying at.

"Steven! Are you okay?" I cried, pushing back everyone else in the room to wrap my arms around my injured boyfriend.

"Yeah, yeah...Sarah, I'm fine!" he cried, cringing away from my hug and I smiled into his neck.

"Aww. I love when you resist my hugs," I said into his ear and leaned back.

"Sarah, I'm _so_ sorry! It was an accident, I promise!" Donna cried and I put my hands on my hips as I faced her.

"Since Eric left, I normally wouldn't be mad. But Steven has a _baby_ on the way here! My little boy can't grow up without a dad! The next time any of you try to harm my Steven, there will be _hell to pay!_"

**Xxx**

I was sitting with Hyde at the Forman's kitchen table after he got out of the hospital. He was eating the sandwich I made him when Red and Kitty walked in the room.

"Steven...we need to talk to you about something pretty important," Kitty said

"Look, whatever you found in my room was planted there!" Hyde cried.

"_Steven!_" I moaned.

"No-!" Kitty started but Red cut her off.

"What's in your room?"

"Red, stay focused!" Kitty scolded him.

"Yeah, yeah, stay focused!" Hyde agreed.

"Alright, Steven, just for the record, I told her to mind her own business. And then she said, 'Fine. You can make your own dinner.' So...here we are!" Red explained.

"No. No, no, no. Steven, we found out that the man you think is your father isn't _really_ your father. Your real father's name is William Barnett and he lives in Milwaukee!"

"Oh My God. Oh My God, Steven, this is _huge!_" I cried.

"I know you have a lot of feelings and emotions and maybe you want to cry," Kitty said. "We won't tell if you cry."

"I'll tell," Red argued.

"Will you please?" Kitty barked. "Steven, are you okay?"

"Well, I...don't really know the guy who's _supposed_ to be my dad and obviously, I don't know this new guy, so...I don't really care," Hyde replied, getting up from his chair. I stood up, too.

"Come on, Steven, you have to care. This is your dad!" I cried and said stuff like that as I followed him to the basement.


	61. Time Is On My Side

_**Time Is On My Side**_

**~Wish you were here...holding my hand. Wish you were here...kissing my lips. Wish you were here...doing all that we did together.~**

"Well," I started as I reached up to stock inventory. "it seems like Eric and Donna have patched things up. Don't ask me how she forgave him for leaving her at the altar like that, because I know _I_ never could." I paused. "Well, maybe. But it would take some time!

"You should see your Aunt Donna's hair. She dyed it blonde just like Mommy's and it looks _so_ pretty. She'll probably be a blonde when you're born! Uncle Eric decided to take a year off before he goes to college. I know, I don't see the logic in it either, but I guess everybody deserves a break. He's probably wondering what he wants to do with his life." I sighed as I finished stocking and put a hand on my stomach. "You're going to love your Uncle Eric and Aunt Donna. Aunt Donna _loves_ kids and Eric is sort of like a big kid himself. He has a bunch of action figures and toys that you can play with. I was thinking about asking Daddy to make them your godparents.

"You also have Aunt Jackie and Uncle Kelso and Uncle Fez. Uncle Kelso has a baby of his own on the way. Maybe you two could play together when you're both born! Aww, that would be so cute. You know, Baby..." I stopped myself and looked down at my stomach. "I'm getting tired of calling you 'Baby' all the time. Steve-I mean, Daddy and I haven't even talked about names yet. Did you know that Daddy has his own new daddy that he never knew about? His name is William Barnett. Are you a William?" I frowned and shook my head. "Naah. How about...Christopher? Chris Hyde. Or Matt."

"Sarah, are you talking to yourself again?" my co-worker, Tom asked from behind me.

"No, I'm talking to my baby, asswipe!" I snapped, turning to face him. "Now get lost!"

"Whatever," Tom said, rolling his eyes and then muttered, "I can't wait until Jerry fires your ass."

I gulped. Jerry was the boss. "_What?_ Jerry's going to fire me!"

"Well, duh. You're getting more pregnant every day. I mean, you can barely do your job now!"

"But I need this job!" I cried but Tom just shrugged.

"Sorry, Sarah." Then he left me alone.

"_Dammit!_" I moaned. _What happens when I get fired? Steven doesn't have a job! Then we'll be completely broke. How are we going to pay the rent? Are we going to have to move back in with the Forman's? This is a disaster._

**Author's Note: So I hope you're liking the story so far. I decided to do something kind of fun. Since there was a lot of talk about baby names in this chapter, I want you to review and tell me what you think Hyde and Sarah should name their baby. It doesn't have to be one of the names I mentioned in the chapter, it can be any name.**

**I'm only doing this partly because I'm really bored...haha. But mostly because I want to see what kind of names you guys have in mind.**


	62. Let's Spend The Night Together

_**Let's Spend The Night Together**_

**~There is only one happiness in life - to love and be loved.~**

"I can't believe Hyde's dad is black," Jackie said. We were the only two in the basement.

"I know. It's so weird. But W.B. seems nice enough. Except for when he thought Steven only wanted to meet him for his money, but everything's okay now," I replied.

"I can't believe he thought that," Jackie agreed and then frowned. "Wait, _isn't_ that why Hyde wanted to meet his father?"

"What? No! Why would you think that!"

"Well, I don't know! Because he's broke and you're pregnant and you're both _really_ poor!"

"Jackie, Steven isn't like that," I argued. "Not that some money wouldn't be nice, but..."

"So how are you holding up?" she asked, eyeing my stomach.

"I'm really scared, that's all I know.

"Of what?"

"Of childbirth, for one thing! Isn't that supposed to hurt like hell? And I guess...I'm afraid that once I lose my job, Steven and I will have to move back in here. I want my baby to have the best life possible and that doesn't include growing up in a basement." I sighed. "I'm afraid that I won't be a good mom."

"Oh, Sarah, of course you will," Jackie comforted me. "Even though you and Hyde both grew up poor, that doesn't mean you guys aren't good people! You two will figure out something, I promise."

"Wow, Jackie, I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"I have my moments!" she cried and I giggled.


	63. I Can't Get No Satisfaction

_**(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction**_

**~True love is neither physical nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be and will not be.~**

Jerry drummed his fingers on the desk and I stared at him nervously from the chair I was sitting in.

"You wanted to see me?" I squeaked, knowing what was coming.

"Yes. There's something I need to talk to you about," he replied. "Sarah, you're a great employee. But your...condition has gotten in the way of your work. Until you have the baby and have gotten back on your feet...I'm afraid I'm going to have to let you go."

"But-" I started.

"No buts. I'm sorry, Sarah, but my mind is made up."

"But I need this job!"

"I'm sure you have someone out there taking care of you. Please clean out your locker and return your smock," Jerry said.

**Xxx**

"So," I said. "Steven, what did you do last night?"

"I helped Forman vandalize the muffler shop. It was awesome, man!" my boyfriend cried, grinning.

"Really? Oh...wow, that sounds like fun," I said, sarcastically. "Look, Steven, I know you don't want to talk to your father, but you _have_ to."

Hyde raised his eyebrows. "I have to?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I just got fired from PriceMart. And I know this sounds horrible but...we need money from your dad. Believe me, I know how bad that sounds. I know how much of a gold-digging tramp I sound like, and I know how you said you didn't need anything from your dad. But our baby does and I'm sorry, but I'll do whatever it takes to make sure he gets what he needs!" I cried.

"You got fired?" Hyde asked. "Why?"

"Because I'm too pregnant to do my job! Steven, the rent is due at our apartment any day now and we have zero money! So just..._please_ talk to your dad? If you won't do it for me, do it for him." I gestured to my stomach.

"...Fine."


	64. Beast of Burden

_**Beast of Burden**_

**~You don't marry someone you can live with - you marry the person you can't live without.~**

"Well good news," Hyde said, walking up to me. "Red fired me."

We were standing in the big celebration for the opening of Red's new muffler shop, where Hyde had been offered a job. But he had also been offered a job by his new dad and he knew that I thought he should take the job with this father.

"Oh My God, that's amazing!" I cried and hugged him.

"Yeah, W.B. told Red that he offered me a job so Red did me a favor and fired me," Hyde explained.

"Oh, Steven, this is so great. I can't wait to see the look on our stupid landlord's face when I tell him you have a job!" I squealed and I grinned.

"Yep. The money for rent will be here in a week."

"Would you look at that? You're providing for your family already. Steven, you're going to be a great father!"

"You really think so?" he asked.

"Of course! You'll be fine! We'll both be great parents, I know it," I promised and leaned up to kiss him. But how can one be so sure?


	65. Rip This Joint

_**Rip This Joint**_

**~Love doesn't make the world go round. Love makes the ride worthwhile.~**

"...oh no, it's okay, Steven, I have your lunch here, I'll just drive down there really quick and give it to you!" I said, standing in the kitchen at my apartment, talking to him on the phone.

"Okay, thanks. It'll be nice to see a friendly face," he replied

"What do you mean?" I asked, gathering up my stuff.

"All the people here are so...uptight. And that Dennis guy makes me want to punch him in the face! I'm starting to wish I had taken the job at Red's muffler shop. If I was working there, I'd be doing something that I know how to do, that I _like_ doing. But here..." he trailed off.

"Well what kind of things are you doing there?"

"Underlining things for paper work! It's horrible!"

"I'm sorry to hear that. Listen, I'll be down there in about an hour with your lunch and then maybe I'll stay there for a little while to distract you."

"Okay, thank you so much!"

I laughed. "You're welcome." I hung up the phone and hobbled out of the apartment and down the hall, only to be stopped by my landlord.

"Leaving again, Sarah? I swear you and Hyde spend more time in Point Place than you do in your actual home. Maybe you two should just buy an apartment there," he said and I rolled my eyes.

"Maybe we will, if we can get away from you."

"Is that any way to talk to someone who is giving you an extra week to pay the rent that was due a month ago? Not like the money will be coming in, anyway."

"Shut up! Steven _does_ have a job and I'll prove it to you when I pay you the rent on Friday!" I yelled and stomped past him.

**Xxx**

_Maybe my stupid landlord is right,_ I thought, doubtfully as I was stuck behind a red light. _It is getting annoying having to drive back and forth between Point Place and Kenosha all the time. Why did I even buy an apartment in stupid Kenosha? I'll talk to Steven about buying an apartment in Point Place some other time._


	66. You Can't Always Get What You Want

_**You Can't Always Get What You Want**_

**~There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than there is for bread.~**

"Okay, look, I'll distract him. Jackie, give me your lipstick," Donna said, holding out her hand for the tube. Donna, Jackie, Kelso, Fez, Hyde, and I were standing next to the milk truck while the milkman unloaded crates. We were trying to get the crates for Hyde's record store (that his dad gave him and his sister, Angie!) because Angie forgot to order the bins.

"Okay, but you picked a really weird time to get into make-up, Donna," Jackie replied, handing it over.

"I love it when you whore yourself for the sake of the group," Fez said, grinning as Donna waltzed over to the milkman.

"Hey, you. That's umm...that's a sexy milk truck you got there..." Donna started but everything started to fade out.

"Steven. Steven, it's time," I gasped, holding onto the car and taking big, deep breaths.

"Sarah, what's wrong? Is the baby okay?" he asked, alarmed.

"It's _coming!_"

"_WHAT!_" was what came out of the mouths of Hyde, Kelso, Fez, and Jackie as they rushed to help me stand up straight.

"My fucking baby is coming!" I screamed and pretty soon Donna came running over here, too as Hyde and Kelso helped me get in the backseat.

**Xxx**

"Come on, honey, one more push!" Kitty cried and I did so, gnashing my teeth together.

And then the pain was gone, and I heard the wailing of a baby.

"Is he-is that my baby?" I gasped, and Kitty nodded, and handed him to me.

"He's beautiful," Donna said and Jackie and Kitty nodded in agreement.

"What are you going to name him?" Jackie asked, and I shrugged.

"I don't know. Is Steven out there?" I asked and gestured towards the hallway.

"Yes. I'll send him in," Kitty said and then the three of them were gone and Hyde was staring at me from across the room.

"Well," I said. "he's finally here."

"Yeah," he said, quietly and stepped towards me. "Do you think we'll be good parents?"

"Better than our parents. I want him to have everything we never could."

Hyde nodded and was suddenly next to me on the cot. I reached up and handed him his son, who he cradled in his arms.

"Any ideas for names?" I asked, and Hyde shook his head. "Me neither." We were quiet for a while.

"We could ask Eric and Donna. B-because I want them to be his godparents." Hyde tore his gaze away from the baby to look at me.

"Okay." We called Eric and Donna in the room, and Hyde handed the baby back to me.

"Oh wow," Eric said, staring at the baby.

"We want you guys to be the godparents," I explained. "So we thought you should pick the name."

"Us?" Donna asked and we nodded. They were silent for a moment and then Eric got a funny look on his face and said,

"Luke. Luke Skywalker."

"Forman, I am not naming my son after Luke Skywalker," Hyde snapped.

"No, actually, I like Luke," I said, looking down at him. "Hi, Luke."

"Can I hold him?" Donna asked and I nodded, handing her Luke.

Jackie poked her head in. "Can we come in now?"

"Umm...yeah," I said and she, Kelso, and Fez entered the room.

"Oh My _God!_ He's soooo cute!" Jackie gushed, running up to Donna, who was holding Luke.

"Congrats, man," Kelso said to Hyde and he nodded.

"What is the baby's name?" Fez asked, curiously and Jackie started jumping up and down, up and down.

"Yeah, yeah! What's his name? You should name him Jack-it's the boy version of _Jackie!_"

"His name is Luke," Hyde interrupted her, rolling his eyes.

"Oh," she said and then looked back at the small baby. "It fits."


	67. Surprise, Surprise

_**Surprise, Surprise**_

**~Treasure the love you receive above all. It will survive long after your good health has vanished.~**

"Oh My God, Sarah, can you _believe this!_" Donna cried, holding up the new calendars for Red's muffler shop.

"Yeah, yeah, offensive to women," I answered, hurriedly, glancing quickly at the pictures of half-naked broads on cars before trying to care for my wailing newborn.

"If I had known that this was what Red was giving away, I never would have advertised his shop on my show!"

"Right. Donna, could you hold him...?" I asked, handing over my baby but she just brushed him off, still ranting. She was standing in the kitchen at my apartment in Kenosha, while Luke screamed and cried and I tried to figure out what the hell he was crying about. Not to mention that all of my neighbors were getting _extremely_ annoyed.

"You know what I should do? I should tell everyone on my show about how offended women should be of these calendars! I could get a bunch of _pissed off feminists_ to show Red how offensive-"

"Donna, I really need..." I was cut off by a pounding on the door, and my landlord yelling at me to let him in. "Can you please...come on, D, help me here..."

Is it just me or is everything too loud? Luke is screaming in my ear, my landlord is yelling at the door, my neighbors are shouting at me to get my kid to _"shut up!"_ and Donna is babbling about her stupid feminism. Am I sleep-deprived or is it just too goddamn _loud?_ Both?

"...Donna-_HEY!_" I screamed, cutting her off mid-sentence and she stopped. "I've gotten maybe four hours of sleep in the last week, and my baby won't fucking _stop crying!_ Now I need you to shut up and try to figure out what is wrong with my kid!" And with that I shoved Luke into her arms and stomped to the door to deal with my landlord.

"What do you want!" I yelled, angrily.

"People are complaining about your baby!" he snapped.

"Well, what did you expect when I showed up here _pregnant_ one day?"

"I thought you would give it up for adoption like a _regular_ nineteen-year-old would!"

"Well, I didn't."

"I can see that. Now I need you to do something about the _noise-_"

Luke's a baby! He _cries!_ Now you can tell everyone who complained that they can either get him to stop crying themselves or to shut the fuck up!" I shouted and slammed the door in his face.

"Sarah...I think you should calm down," Donna said, nervously as she trie to burp Luke.

"You're right. Now could you do me a favor and bring Luke to the Forman's and take care of him there? Better yet, give him to Mrs. Forman! She loves babies! I just need some _sleep!_" I begged and Donna agreed. I gave her Luke's carseat and everything she needed to take care of him and then sent her on her way before collapsing on the bed and falling asleep within minutes.


	68. Oh Baby We Got A Good Thing Goin'

_**Oh Baby (We Got A Good Thing Goin')**_

**~If you have love, you don't need to have anything else, and if you don't have it, it doesn't matter much what else you have.~**

"Man, I am so psyched for this auto show. I'm telling you, once I trick out my El Camino, it is going to be," Hyde covered Kitty's ears. "bad-frickin'-ass."

"Oh, so you cover up her ears but not your son's ears?" I asked, holding Luke in my arms as I sat at the Forman's kitchen table.

"He's gonna learn those words sooner or later. I'd rather he learn it from me," Hyde replied, smugly and I rolled my eyes.

"Kitty, I'm begging you to stop. There's going to be _hundreds_ of auto-parts salesmen and now that I have the muffler shop, they're gonna be getting in line to kiss my butt!" Red explained.

"And they will be happy to kiss it because _everything_ in my house is spotless!" she replied, scrubbing down the table.

"Alright, I'm getting in the car, I'm counting to sixty, and if you're not there, I'm leaving!" Red cried, walking out the door.

"Aah. The honeymoon speech again," Kitty said and then laughed. "Can't forget my book. You know, this new Jackie Collins romance really gives me a case of the tingles."

"Mrs. Forman, please. Your tingles are your own business," Hyde said. "My son's here." 

"Oh, what's the matter, Steven? He's gonna hear it sooner or later," I mocked. He glared at me before following Red out the door.

"Sarah, I hope you brought a book. When we get to the auto show, the guys are gonna ignore us," Kitty said.

"Mrs. Forman, Steven promised he would spend the day with me and Luke and I believe him," I said, getting up from the chair and cradling my baby in my arms.

"Okay, but we can't compete with a bunch of cars. Wheels are like buzums (sp?) to men, and a car has four."

Xxx

"Yeah, man, look at this place. Chrome, tires, half-dressed women. It's like Sunday dinner at my grandma's house," Hyde said as we walked into the auto show.

"Alright, salesmen. Pucker up! Red Forman's ass is in the building!" Red cried and wandered off.

"Okay, well, mine's gone. I give yours about thirty seconds," Kitty said to me.

"Alright, Sarah," Hyde said, walking up to me. "we're gonna start off looking at new tires, then after lunch you can help me pick out an obnoxiously loud car stereo."

"Wait, you're going to spend the day with Sarah and Luke?" Kitty asked.

"Yeah, man. It's my chick and my kid! My family, I guess. Alright, I'm gonna go get us a funnel cake. But listen, this is a tough crowd, alright? So if any guys come up to you and offer to teach you how to drive a stick, just say no and pull the fire alarm." And then Hyde went to go stand in line for funnel cakes.

"Told you he wouldn't ditch his family," I boasted.

"Sarah, he's a man. Accept the fact that he's not coming back. When I was in labor, Red went to get me ice chips. I didn't see him for an hour and a half because he found a pinball machine," Kitty said.

"No way."

"It's fine. Ha! I laugh about it now. I do. I will. It's just not that funny."

**Xxx**

"One funnel cake, extra sugar," Hyde said, coming back with a funnel cake. He put it in my lap and I put Luke in his arms.

"Oh! Steven, I knew you'd come back," I said, tearing off a piece of the funnel cake and putting it in my mouth while Hyde bounced Luke on his leg.

"Did you see Red?" Kitty asked him.

"He didn't come back yet? That's weird, he was in front of me in the funnel cake line," he said, looking around.

"What the-!" Kitty cried, staring at Red taking a picture with two sluts in bikinis, holding a funnel cake.

"Hey, gals. Say 'funnel cake'!" he said.

"_Funnel cake!_" they squealed while a guy took the picture and Kitty stormed over to him.

"Oh My God!"

"There goes the fun," Red murmured.

"Well, I hope you're happy, because we are leaving! You two!" She pointed at us. "get your baby and get you're A-S-S's in the car!" She turned back to the sluts. "You two get your B-double O-B's off my husband!"

"Well today was a bust," I murmured as Hyde and I loped back to the car.

"Not completely," Hyde disagreed. "I got to spend time with my two favorite people in the world."

I blushed. "Aww!"

"Alright, when Kitty shows up, she's gonna be pretty mad," Red said as we stood by the Toyota. "so I think we should just leave her here."

"She can't get any madder," Hyde pointed out.

"I think we should leave her here," I agreed.

"Kitty!" Red cried in shock as she walked through the door.

"Mrs. Forman, are you okay?" I asked, uneasily.

"Sarah, I'm perfectly fine. I just need to speak to Red in the car for a minute," she said and they both got in: "How could you, Red Forman? Steven stayed with Sarah but you went off and gave my funnel cake to those whores!"

"I was just trying to have a little fun!" he argued.

"Oh yeah? Well, you can take your fun and shove it up your—_BEEP! BEEP!_"

"Damn," I muttered. "She's pretty pissed."

"Hey, I thought we weren't supposed to swear around the baby," Hyde said, raising his eyebrows.

"Whatever. It's not like he'll remember this, anyway, he's like a month and a half old. Besides, I don't give a rat's ass if my kid swears when he's five," I admitted and Hyde grinned.


	69. Gimme Shelter

_**Gimme Shelter**_

**~You may conquer with the sword, but you are conquered by a kiss.~**

I was sitting in my apartment in Kenosha, the TV blaring while I breastfed Luke. I cleared my throat before I began to talk.

I still talk to Luke. Tell him about my day and all the things that are happening with my friends, even though I know he'll never remember any of it. It's like having a diary, a bouncing board.

"So Eric decided that he wants to be a teacher. Who knows? Maybe one day, you'll be taking one of his classes. How about that, huh, Luke? Do you like the idea of getting taught by Uncle Eric?" I asked, cuddling him. He just continued to suck the milk out of my breast, staring up at me with his bright blue eyes. He had blonde, floppy hair just like me.

"Also, Uncle Fez and Uncle Kelso are thinking about buying an apartment together. Not here but in Point Place. Maybe we should move down there, huh?" I continued. "Fez needs a home because his stupid host parents kicked him out. What the hell, right? And Kelso needs someplace to go when he gets Betsy on the weekends. Betsy is his baby. I bet you two would get along really well, huh? Maybe I should call Brooke to see if you two could go on a play-date or something! Because I doubt Kelso will let us do it on his weekends because he gets so little time with her as it is. Ow!" I yelped when Luke bit my nipple. "God_damn!_"


	70. 2120 South Michigan Avenue

_**2120 South Michigan Avenue**_

**~Love is a** **friendship set to music.~**

It was un-freaking-believable.

Here I was, telling Luke about how Fez and Kelso bought an apartment together and how Eric has to make up his incomplete in gym when it happened. Luke just spit it out. He said his first word: "Mama" and then just stared, goofily up at me. Like it was no big deal.

Except it _is_ a big deal!

_I'm just sad no one else was here to see this!_ I thought, exasperated as I reached for the phone. As usual, I was alone with Luke in my apartment. I was seriously lacking a social life since I had a baby.

Donna was the first person I called. Is that bad? I mean, shouldn't I be calling Steven first? _No, I can just save him for last, _I thought to myself as I dialed the Pinciotti's number and held the phone up to my ear.

"Hello?" Bob answered.

"Hi, Bob. It's Sarah. Is Donna there?" I asked, politely.

"Uhh…yeah. She and Jackie are in her room. Let me get her. _DONNA!_"

There were muffled voices and then Donna came to the phone. "Hello?"

"Donna! Hey! It's me, Sarah."

"Hey, Sarah."

"Listen, you will _never_ believe this! Luke said his first word! _Mama._ That's so cute! Hey, you should come over and—"

"Oh, sorry, Sarah, I can't. It's really cool with Luke's first word and stuff but I'm busy. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Umm…" I stammered but then I heard a click on the other hand and sat there, dumbfounded. What the hell just happened?

I called Steven at the Forman's but he wasn't that interested, either. He just said "cool," and made an excuse to hang up. He didn't even ask what Luke had said and when I told him he didn't care that Luke said Mama instead of Papa.

Why doesn't anyone care about this? Is everyone so wrapped up in their own lives that they can't learn to appreciate the little things?


	71. 2000 Light Years From Home

_**2000 Light Years From Home**_

**~No man is worth your tears, and the one who is won't make you cry.~**

"I fucking hate life," I told Luke, angrily as the door to our apartment in Kenosha shut. That was Donna leaving and before she got here it had been Hyde leaving.

Maybe I should explain.

You see, my best friend and my boyfriend don't care when my baby says his first word but they expect me to care when they have good news (Angie being transferred so now Hyde owns the record store) and when they have bad news (Eric deciding to go to Africa, leaving Donna all alone here).

So, like the good person, friend, and girlfriend I am, I comforted Donna in her misery and congratulated Hyde on his triumph. But neither one of them asked about Luke or how my day was or anything.

"Sometimes I hate being a teenage mother," I declared out loud and Luke just stared at me. _He has no idea,_ I thought. _He has no idea that I'm the only one that cares about him._

I shook the thought away, claiming it to be silly. Of course I wasn't the only one who cared about Luke. My friends are just…busy? Yeah, that's it. Busy.

I got up, leaving Luke on the couch, to go make myself some chocolate milk. _I need to stop being so bitter all the time. I need to get out more, I swear to God. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to drive to Point Place every day with Luke and see my friends again._


	72. Till the Next Goodbye

_**Till the Next Goodbye**_

**~Love is like a butterfly. It goes where it pleases and it pleases where it goes.~**

"OKAY, GUYS!" Donna cried and the garage door went up and I went with all the rest of my friends to say goodbye to Eric. He said he didn't want Kitty to plan him a going-away party, but…we all knew he did.

"Surprise!" we all yelled, coming up to greet him. Luke giggled and sucked his thumb and I couldn't help but think that he has no idea that his Uncle Eric is leaving and won't be back for a year. He has no idea how hard it is on all of us.

"Mom!" Eric moaned and then slid off the car. "Oh, who am I kidding? I wanted this!"

"Oh, Eric!" Fez sobbed, hugging his best friend.

"Okay, Charlie, I'm gonna put you in charge of this," Eric said, pushing Fez off him. "Whenever you want to cheer Fez up, here's a little trick." Eric tickled Fez in his stomach and the foreign boy immediately went from crying to laughing.

"Here you go, Forman," Hyde said, handing him a bag as he and I walked up to him. "A little going-away gift."

"Aw, thanks, man!" Eric replied and opened the bag. "Hyde, this bag is empty."

"Yeah. I heard about the stuff they have over in Africa. Fill that bad boy up, send it back to me," Hyde explained and Eric laughed and then they hugged.

"Bye, Eric. I'm gonna miss you so much," I said, truthfully and he smiled and nodded, kissing Luke on the forehead before giving me a big hug.

"Thanks, Sarah. I'm going to miss you too."

"Honey," Kitty said to Eric, choking back tears. "I'm sorry if I smothered you. That's just what a mother does. But I've accepted that you're leaving and I'm ready to let you go."

"Oh Mom," Eric murmured, hugging her. He tried backing away from her hug, but she was holding on tight, and I stifled a giggle. "Uhh…I'm really only allowed one carry-on, so…"

"Come on, Kitty, come on," Red said, prying his wife off of his son.

"Eric, I'm not real good with words so I thought I'd say goodbye the only way I know how. Hit it, boys!" Bob cried and a bunch of old men with saxophones and stuff came sauntering up the driveway.

Eric shook Red's hand and gave Kitty a kiss on the cheek and then he and Donna got in the Vista Cruiser, ready to leave. Eric stuck his head out the window and cried, "So long, Point Place!" and then tried to start the Cruiser…but it wouldn't start.

"Oh, for Pete's sake! Come on!" Red cried and we all started pushing Eric's car to the airport.

Eric stuck his head out the window and cried, "So long, Point Place!" again.

Tears welled up in my eyes and I realized that Eric was really leaving. And I wouldn't see him for an entire _year._ How could Donna stand it? If it was Steven, I'd be crying all over the place.

_Goodbye, Eric,_ I thought. _I can't wait until you come back home._


	73. Somebody to Love

_**Somebody to Love**_

**~Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.~**

"Well, a day in the life of a Point Place police officer, I've confiscated a whole box of lighters, and a bunch of illegal substances," Kelso said, digging through the box after we kicked Leo and his hippie friends out of the record store.

"Nice work officer," Hyde replied, taking the box from him. "Now we're hooked up for two months."

"So…what do we do now?"

"I think I'm gonna have to fire Leo," Hyde admitted. "He almost put me out of business. I just wish there was a good way to do it."

**Xxx**

I sat in the circle with Kelso, Hyde, and Leo, sniffing in the fumes and feeling totally relaxed for the first time in a long-ass time. I hadn't been in the Circle since I got pregnant with Luke. I didn't want him to come out stupid or anything.

Well…I might have been in _one_ circle while I was pregnant but I'm sure that won't hurt him…right?

_Where is Luke?_ I wondered, my intoxicated mind failing to remember. _I left him with someone…but who?_

"Ahh, this is definitely gooder. Gooder? Yeah, that's a word," Hyde said and then sighed. "Leo, I left you in charge of the store and you let me down, man. So I'm sorry I have to say…" he burst into a fit of giggles, "You're fired, man!"

"I think the word you're looking for is fried, man," Leo replied, grinning, goofily.

"No, no, man, I mean you're fired!"

"That's even funnier, man! And I totally deserve it."

"And you're under arrest, too," Kelso added, holding up a pair of handcuffs."

"What?"

"No, I'm just kidding. These handcuffs don't even work. Look," Kelso said, trying to put them on himself.

"No, Kelso, don't!" I warned but it was too late.

"Oh wait. These are the ones that do work," he muttered, struggling to get them back off.

"Hey," some random guy said, sitting down next to me. "I saw this 'Help Wanted' sign outside. You still looking?"

"Uhh…Leo, were you trying to hire somebody?" Hyde asked.

"No, yesterday, I was having a hard time opening a jar of pickles so I put the 'Help Wanted' sign up. Too late, man, I found something else to eat!" Leo explained and I started cracking up.

Leo, man, he was too hilarious!

"_Why do they make the lids so tight? It's just pickles!_" Kelso cried as he tried to get them open.

"So, you're not hiring? Ugh, that's a bummer cause I gotta say…if this is your idea of a staff meeting, I'd work my butt off!" the guy said.

"What the hell, man? I'm in a giving mood right now! You can have the job and do all the work that Leo wasn't doing. And Leo, I can't fire you, man, you're too awesome. New guy, you're hired. Leo, you're not fired. Jobs for everyone!" Hyde cried. "Well, that was hard but it had to be done."


	74. Stone Cold Crazy

_**Stone Cold Crazy**_

**~True love doesn't have a happy ending, because true love never ends. Letting go is one way of saying I love you.~**

"But Sarah, you _have_ to help me move in with Fez! I can't carry all those boxes by myself!" Jackie moaned to me over the phone.

"Have Kelso or Hyde or Donna come over and do it," I replied.

"They're all busy! _Please, _Sarah!"

"I can't! I'm taking Luke over to Brooke's so he and Betsy can play together," I explained, gathering up all my stuff in a hurried rush. "Just get Fez to do it for you! He's foreign!"

"Oh My God! You're right! Thanks, Sarah!" she squealed and hung up. I sighed and put the phone down, carrying Luke out to my car.

When I said that Luke and Betsy should have a play date, I wasn't kidding. I called Brooke a couple days ago and suggested it and she thought it was a great idea. So now I'm going over there so they can play together.

_Who knows?_ I thought as I drove to Brooke's. _Maybe Luke and Betsy will be friends when they're older._

**Xxx**

"Oh My Gosh, they're _so_ cute!" Brooke gushed as she and I watched them play with blocks and other toys in Betsy's room.

"I know!" I agreed.

"I'm so glad you suggested this! Betsy hasn't spent any time with other babies."

"I know, neither has Luke. And I just figured it would be good for them. And for us, so we can take a break from them for five minutes!" I joked and we both laughed.


	75. Long Away

_**Long Away**_

**~Love turns winter into summer.~**

"Donna? I got your message. What's wrong?" I asked, as I entered her room alone. I left Luke with Hyde. She was sitting on her bed, crying. "Oh My God! Donna, what happened?"

"Eric broke up with me," she whispered, sniffling.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry," I said, sitting next to her and giving her a big hug.

"Thanks. But I mean…I guess I saw it coming," she replied and gave me the letter to read.

I could never understand how Eric and Donna could date long distance. I mean, how can someone be gone for a year and you still want to be with them?

"I'm really sorry," I said. "Do you want me to go get you some ice cream? We can pig out on it and watch sad movies."

"That would be great," Donna replied, sadly. "Just…do me a favor? Don't tell anyone."

"Why not?"

"Because! Fez would only hit on me, Jackie would hurt my feelings trying to make me feel better, and Hyde would just say 'Ehh'."

I paused. "Wow, that's incredibly…true."

Donna smiled, sadly at me. "You're the only one I can talk to."


	76. Good Company

_**Good Company**_

**~Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.~**

"Sarah, I'm not sure if this is a good idea," Hyde admitted, uneasily.

"I don't care what you think. I'm doing this, Steven," I replied, handing him Luke.

Last week, I was watching Hyde and his dad and I realized that W.B. is Luke's only grandparent. Well, the only grandparent that he's going to know about. Because there's no way Hyde and I are letting Edna or my dad see him.

So then I realized that I still have my mom. Then I asked Kitty to help me track her down and now here we are. Hyde drove Luke and I all the way to Michigan so I could meet my mom and now I'm standing in front of a big building I took a deep breath and led Hyde inside where I walked up to the front desk.

"Umm…can you tell me where a Taylor Hope is?" I asked and the man behind the desk looked confused. I remembered that my mother probably dropped my old man's last name when she left him and tried again. "Umm…Taylor Plymore?"

"Uhh…yeah. Down the hall and to the left is her office," he replied, uneasily and I nodded and thanked him. I shot Hyde a 'stay here' look and then walked to her office.

I poked my head in and saw a beautiful, blonde woman bent over a desk, chewing on her pen cap. She was _beautiful_ and I looked a lot like her. My heart swelled and I smiled widely and rapped my knuckles against the side of the wall before stepping inside. She looked up. "Who are you?"

_It's stupid to be disappointed,_ I thought. _Of course she doesn't remember me. Just tell her who you are, Sarah! Come on!_

"Uhh…my name is Sarah. Don't you remember me?" I asked, shutting the door behind me and she just stared. "Sarah…Hope? Your daughter?"

"Oh My G—_Sarah?_" she cried, standing up. "Is it really you?"

I smiled, blinked back tears, and nodded. "Yeah."

"Oh, you're so _beautiful!_" she moaned, running over to give me a hug. "I'm so sorry I didn't take you with me when I left your father! I wanted to _so_ badly, but I…oh God, I'm so sorry, baby!"

"Mom, it's okay," I murmured. "Really, it is."

She leaned back to look at me. "How old are you now? Eighteen? Nineteen?"

"Nineteen," I replied and cleared my throat. "You remember Steven Hyde, right?"

"Steven—? Oh! That's right! The boy who lived across the street, right?"

"Yeah. Well, he's part of the reason why I came to find you. We're dating now—"

"Oh, Sarah, that's wonderful! He was always such a nice boy, I remember!" she rambled on and I cut her off.

"Mom, he got me pregnant."

Mom froze. "What?"

"And I wanted you to meet your grandson. Luke's about…six months old? Yeah, that sound about right…" Now I was the one babbling.

"Oh, Sarah," she said, blinking back tears. "I'm sorry."

I stared at her, confused. "Why?"

"Because! If I had only taken you with me, you wouldn't have made the same mistake I did! I gave birth to you when I was seventeen…I wasn't ready to be a mother so I left—"

"No, Mom, you don't understand. I don't regret having Luke. I love him to death and I'll never leave him until he moves out or goes to college or whatever," I explained. "Steven and I are raising him together. Sort of. I just wanted you to meet him."

"Oh! Umm…sure."

I led her out to the lobby where Hyde was standing with Luke. "Oh! How precious!" Mom gushed and then looked over at me. "Can I hold him?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course."

Hyde gave her the baby and she cradled Luke in her arms, the same way I had when he was born.


	77. Who Needs You

_**Who Needs You**_

**~Love is an ideal thing; a confusion of the real with the ideal never goes unpunished.~**

My mother decided to come back with me to Point Place, at least for a little while. She wanted to be a part of Luke's and my life and promised to visit often.

"Well…here's the apartment. It's kind of small, but it'll do," I said, leading her into my apartment in Kenosha. "Luke and I are usually the only ones here so it'll be nice to have some company."

Mom stared at me. "You're here all day with the baby? Where's Steven?"

"At the Forman's," I replied. "But it's no big deal—"

"Yes, it is a big deal!" she cried. "Luke is his child, too! Look at everything you've given up for him! And what has your boyfriend given up? Nothing."

I chewed on my bottom lip, considering this. I had never really thought of it like that. But I shrugged it off and showed my mother her bedroom. I would think more about what she said later.

**Xxx**

"Sarah, can I talk to you?" Hyde asked. I was at the Forman's with Donna and Jackie while my mom was in the living room with Red and Kitty. My mom was holding Luke.

"Yeah. I want to talk to you too," I replied and followed him into the basement. My mother's words spoke to me and I realized she was absolutely right. And I was kind of pissed.

"So…I'm not really sure how I'm supposed to do this. I never really thought I would have to anytime soon…but he have a kid now. And I love both of you so I thought it was time," Hyde began, jiggling something around in his pocket.

"Steven, what are you saying?" I asked, confused.

He sighed and took out a small box and got on one knee. "Sarah Hope, will you marry me?"


	78. My Fairy King

_**My Fairy King**_

**~Love builds bridges when there are none.~**

"Jackie likes Fez!" Donna blurted out and then burst into a fit of giggles.

"Huh? Oh, that's nice," I said, not very interested at all. Luke started wailing and my mom quickly left to go take care of him.

"Umm…Sarah? Did you not hear what I said? _Jackie likes Fez!_"

"So I guess there's tons of love in the air, huh?" I asked, and then sighed. "Look, Donna, I'm sorry if I'm not really…"

"Paying attention to me?" she finished, looking a little hurt.

"Yes! I'm sorry! But…I have a wedding to plan! That you and Jackie are supposed to help me with! Where is she, anyway?" I asked, angrily, looking around at my empty apartment. Hyde and I moved into the same apartment as Fez and Jackie to be closer to our friends. And it was a good thing, too, because our old landlord was a tool and Fenton happens to love babies.

"Off checking herself into a mental hospital."

"_What?_"

"Dude…I was joking," Donna said.

"Oh."


	79. Love Of My Life

_**Love Of My Life**_

**~Last night I matched each star with a reason for loving you. I was doing great until I ran out of stars.~**

"Sarah, are you ready?" Red asked, smiling at me in my white dress. He was ready to walk me down the aisle since my own dad wasn't welcome here. I nodded, smiling as the music started.

I saw Fez and Kelso (who we tracked down from Chicago) standing next to Steven up near the priest and Donna and Jackie standing next where I was supposed to stand.

I guess one of Fez's friends tried to convince him to go back home but Jackie convinced Fez to stay by telling him that she would be his girlfriend. They're sort of perfect for each other. I hope they work out.

I walked down the aisle, seeing Luke as the ring bearer and my heart swelled with joy. Even though Eric couldn't be here, this day couldn't be more perfect. Besides, we're sending him a video in Africa. I smiled at Steven when I stood next to him and he smiled back at me, taking my hand in his.

"Dearly beloved," Pastor Dave began. "we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this company, to join together this man and this woman in holy Matrimony, which is an honorable estate, instituted of God, signifying onto us this mystical union. Into this holy estate these two people present come now to be joined. If any man can show just cause, why they many not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak or else hereafter forever hold his peace."

There was a pause as we waited for someone to speak up. No one did.

Pastor Dave continued: "I require and charge you both, as you will answer at the dreadful Day of Judgment when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, that if either of you know any impediment, why you many not be lawfully joined together in Matrimony, do now confess it. For be well assured, that if any people are joined together other than as God's Word allows, their marriage is not lawful."

Both Steven and I were quiet. I couldn't think of any reason for us not to get married and my stomach clenched a little bit looking at my soon-to-be husband. He had never wanted to get married. What if he changed his mind? What if he backed out? What if—

But Pastor Dave was talking to him now: "Steven, will you have this woman to be your wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? To have and to hold in sickness and in health? And forsaking all others, be only faithful to her, as long as you both shall live?"

It seemed like a lifetime before he finally said, "I do."

Pastor Dave turned to me: "Sarah, will you have this man to be your wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? To have and to hold in sickness and in health? And forsaking all others, be only faithful to him, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"You may kiss the bride."

Steven leaned over and kissed me. I saw Fez and Jackie making googly eyes at each other, Kelso smiling, and Donna tearing up. Even Luke was silent for the moment.


	80. That '70s Finale

_**That '70s Finale**_

**~I don't have a quote awesome enough for the last episode of this amazing show. So what else can I say besides this? THAT '70s SHOW ROCKS.~**

So I know what you expect me to do. Explain what happened when Eric came back from Africa and Kelso got back from Chicago. But you already know what happens. Eric and Donna get back together, Kelso starts dating Brooke again (or at least we all hope so), Fez and Jackie stay together, and Steven and I?

Well, we're starting our lives together. I'm just glad that we got married in the '70s. I'm happy to be able to say that I got married in 1979, because, well, the '70s was a very special decade to my and my friends.

I'm very sorry to say that my story ends here. But don't be sad, because a new story is just beginning. Happy New Year!

**Author's Note: And that, my friend was my attempt at trying to be deep and poetic. I hope I didn't fail. But what I'm really trying to say here is that this is the last chapter of That '70s Show: Don't Hurt Me. But don't fret! There's a—whoa. Did I just say the word 'fret'? :O**

**Aaaanyways, I'd like to thank all of you who favorited, reviewed, and even all those who just took the time to read my story. But don't be sad that it's over because like Sarah said, a new story is just beginning. And that is the story of the gang's kids: the next generation.**

**That's right, folks. I'm making a sequel.(:**

**Love, Rachel**


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